Security Council of Macedonia warns: Albanian militants could become more active

A distressing forecast is being made by Macedonian Security Council. In regions settled mainly by Albanians, already this spring armed conflict could recommence. Alas! This should be expected… At its latest sitting, the council recommended to Macedonian security forces to act most guardedly on the territories with Albanian population’s majority. Really, in Macedonia, in north-west of the country, already several times violation by Albanian militants of the peace agreement was noticed, signed by their representatives with mediation of the West, however the parliament of the country has passed amendments to the fundamental law corresponding with demands of Albanian minority. Macedonian police patrols are often simply not allowed by guerrillas of “Great Albania” to villages settled by ethnic Albanians. Moreover, fearing for their lives, international observers of OSCE, EU and NATO refuse to accompany the policemen in such raids. According to some reports, at the moment, the Macedonian police controls about 20 Albanian settlements in areas of Tetovo, Skopje, Kumanovo and Gostivara, while constant presence of the police to be established in other 60 settlements. To fasten this process in some way, the Council of National Security decided to work out special measures for taking control of the country. Though, these “special measures” hardly will turn out to be effective, for this situation could be effectively settled only with an active military interference of the state, while such decision is being opposed by “peace keepers” of the US and NATO. Now, the most southern republic of former Yugoslavia unfortunately does not control de-facto its own territory, while oppression of Slavic population is being continued. Now, the freshest example of Madeconain Albanians’ peaceableness. A group of Albanian youth threw stones at a bus with Serbs in the town Strpce, not far from General Jankovic Yugoslav-Macedonian frontier post. The bus was returning from Skopje. One person was injured. At the spot, Polish and Greek soldiers of KFOR were present standing guard over the frontier.

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/abroad/2002/01/11/35497.html