IV

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 36

Expressing support for equal and fair access to higher education in the

Albanian language in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 5, 1997

Mr. GILMAN submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred

to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing support for equal and fair access to higher education in the Albanian language in the Former Yugoslav

Republic of Macedonia.

Whereas failure to achieve fair and cooperative inter-ethnic

relations often leads to governmental repression and conflict between peoples of different ethnic backgrounds;

Whereas the achievement of fair and cooperative treatment of

all citizens, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds, is a

serious challenge for all of the states of the Balkans region, including those states that gained their independence after the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia;
2

•HCON 36 IH

Whereas the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia faces

important issues involving the fair and equitable treatment of all of its citizens, regardless of their ethnic background;

Whereas the extraordinary census conducted by the Government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in

June 1994 determined that those citizens of Albanian descent constitute at least 23 percent of the total population;

Whereas Macedonia’s citizens of Albanian descent are increasingly concerned to ensure fair and equitable treatment as citizens of the state of Macedonia, including appropriate opportunities for education at all levels of instruction;

Whereas the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is a

member of the Council of Europe, an organization that

encourages its member states to provide the opportunity

for educational instruction in the languages of minority

groups that constitute the citizenry of those states;

Whereas the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is a

member of the Organization on Security and Cooperation

in Europe, an organization that, in the ‘‘Copenhagen

Document’’ of its 1990 Conference on the Human Dimension, noted the need for adequate opportunities for

educational instruction in the native languages of citizens

from minority groups;

Whereas international documents and conventions recognize

the right of persons belonging to national minorities to

establish their own educational institutions within the

framework of and in conformity with the legislation of

the state within which they live;
3

•HCON 36 IH

Whereas levels of admissions of ethnic Albanian citizens of

the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the Universities at Skopje and Bitola are far below the 23 percent of Macedonia’s population that is composed of ethnic

Albanians;

Whereas higher education for ethnic Albanian citizens of

Macedonia is made more difficult by the lack of general

usage of the Albanian language at that level of instruction;

Whereas there are increasing reports that ethnic Albanian

citizens of Macedonia are concerned that efforts to ensure access to higher education in the Albanian language

have met with little success;

Whereas an application was filed with the Ministry of Education of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in

October 1994 seeking permission to open an Albanianlanguage university as part of the established system of

education;

Whereas, in the absence of a response to the application filed

with the Ministry of Education of the Former Yugoslav

Republic of Macedonia in October 1994, attempts were

made in December 1994 to begin university classes in the

Albanian language at Tetovo, Macedonia and were prevented by the intervention of police forces; and

Whereas in February 1995 renewed attempts to open an Albanian-language university at Tetovo, Macedonia were

again prevented by police forces, with the death of one

ethnic Albanian citizen of Macedonia and the wounding

of 28 other persons occurring as a result of the related

violence: Now, therefore, be it
4

•HCON 36 IH

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—

3 (1) the Government of the Former Yugoslav

4 Republic of Macedonia should take all appropriate

5 measures to ensure the fair and equitable treatment

6 of all of its citizens, regardless of ethnic background;

7 (2) while steps taken by the Government of the

8 Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to ensure

9 instruction in the Albanian language and the lan10 guage of other national minorities in Macedonia at

11 the primary and secondary levels of education and

12 the adoption of a law permitting Albanian language

13 instruction at the University of Skopje are com14 mendable, the ethnic Albanian citizens of Macedonia

15 continue to suffer from the lack of opportunity for

16 higher education in their native language;

17 (3) the Government and Parliament of the

18 Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia should

19 therefore consider all means by which higher edu20 cation conducted in the Albanian language can be

21 provided, including the establishment of an Alba22 nian-language university;

23 (4) the efforts by the High Commissioner for

24 National Minorities of the Organization on Security

25 and Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe,
5

•HCON 36 IH

1 and the Working Group on Ethnic Minorities of the

2 International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia,

3 to offer guidance and mediation to the Government

4 of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and

5 representatives of the Albanian minority in resolving

6 the issue of higher education in the Albanian lan7 guage, are commendable;

8 (5) the President should express to the Govern9 ment of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

10 the strong support of the Government of the United

11 States for measures that will contribute to democ12 racy and stability in the Former Yugoslav Republic

13 of Macedonia, including efforts to ensure access to

14 higher education in the Albanian language;

15 (6) the President should offer appropriate sup16 port for the efforts of the High Commissioner on

17 National Minorities of the Organization on Security

18 and Cooperation in Europe to resolve the issue of

19 access to higher education in the Albanian language;

20 and

21 (7) the President should offer appropriate sup22 port for efforts by the Government of the Former

23 Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to ensure access to

24 higher education in the Albanian language, including
6

•HCON 36 IH

1 assistance for the establishment of necessary curric2 ula and the provision of textbooks and related course

3 materials.

Æ