But, ominously, as they widened their attacks during the past week, support for them among ordinary Albanians seemed to be almost universal. The Albanians' grievances are strong enough, but one can't help feeling they could have been dealt with through political dialogue, and a little bit of give and take by the Macedonians. After all, an Albanian party is a member of the coalition government, so they're not without influence. Diplomas not recognised And their demands are not outrageous. Mainly they concern the use of Albanian, which is not recognised as a state language.
People complain that the police force is almost entirely Macedonian.
And it is absurd that in the Albanian city of Tetovo, if you end up in hospital, you're likely to have to talk to your doctors in a foreign language, Macedonian. All of that seems simple enough to resolve. Except that the government is terrified that it will lead to a federal state and eventually the break-up of the country. So the so-called National Liberation Army of Albanian militants has stepped into the vacuum, bringing the country within just a few weeks to the brink of disaster. The fighters use the mountain paths from Kosovo to bring in supplies on horseback.