by Ferit Hoxha, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania
Tirana Times, August 12, 2026 – There are moments in history when a country’s future is shaped by a single document. Such agreements are rare, but their impact can endure for generations. The Ohrid Framework Agreement is one such example. On Aug. 13, 2001, 25 years ago, North Macedonia’s political leaders, backed by the European Union and the United States, signed an agreement that would have a defining historical impact on the country and shape its trajectory for decades to come.
The Ohrid Framework Agreement remains one of the region’s most important political and diplomatic achievements in modern history. It showed that ethnic conflicts in the Balkans could be addressed not through force, but through dialogue, political compromise, respect for rights and the creation of institutions that ensure all citizens have an equal place in the state.With the region still bearing the scars of the Yugoslav wars, the Ohrid Agreement offered an alternative based on coexistence rather than division, compromise rather than victory for one side, and inclusion rather than exclusion, helping redefine how the state should function for all its citizens. The Ohrid Agreement represented, and continues to represent, a strategic commitment to peace, coexistence and the creation of a multi-ethnic state where differences are no longer a source of conflict, but part of a shared political and social framework. It gave North Macedonia the opportunity to break free from the legacy of conflict and build a more democratic, inclusive and stable state with a clear European path.
Twenty-five years later, this remains Ohrid’s most important legacy and the greatest responsibility of the current generation: to safeguard its achievements, carry its principles forward and ensure that peace, coexistence and the country’s European orientation become irreversible. Albania has never viewed North Macedonia’s stability and prosperity simply as the concern of another country. For us, they have always been directly linked to the stability and security of the Western Balkans.
Good relations between communities, equality, respect for identity and language, fair representation and ensuring that every citizen feels fully part of the state are not merely matters of principle and fundamental rights. They are also essential to peace, security, stability and the region’s European future. This was precisely the understanding that was reached and put into practice in Ohrid a quarter of a century ago. This is the most important lesson the Ohrid Agreement offers the region today. Peace is not secured simply by bringing a conflict to an end; it becomes sustainable when it is anchored in institutions, rights, equal opportunities and mutual trust. A peace agreement fulfils its purpose not merely when the guns fall silent, but when future generations no longer have reasons to turn back to conflict. By safeguarding the rights of communities, ensuring fairer representation in public administration and recognising the country’s multi-ethnic character, the agreement established a new political and social balance. For this reason, the Ohrid Agreement should not be treated as something set in stone. It should instead be viewed as an enduring political commitment that requires constant attention, given its importance to North Macedonia’s future and its role in shaping a democratic, multi-ethnic, inclusive and European state.
Preserving the spirit of Ohrid does not mean dwelling on the memory of conflict, but ensuring that the grievances and conditions that fuelled it never again become a source of division. In this context, North Macedonia’s NATO membership, genuine regional cooperation, good-neighbourly relations and European path are both a realisation and a natural continuation of the spirit of Ohrid. Europe does not seek to erase differences; rather, it calls for them to coexist within strong institutions, the rule of law and a democracy that guarantees equality and dignity for all.
In the sphere of inter-ethnic relations, the Ohrid Agreement recognised a fundamental reality that was already clear in 2001: Albanians are an essential part of North Macedonia’s society and a constituent community of the state.Their rights are not concessions bestowed by the majority, nor privileges that can be reconsidered according to the political climate of the day. They form part of the country’s political compact and are among the foundations of a democratic and multi-ethnic state.
Europe’s strongest examples, along with the most positive experiences in our region, have shown that a state is stronger when it protects and guarantees the identity, language, culture and rights of its communities, both in law and in practice, in letter and in spirit. Similarly, communities that feel equal and properly represented are more likely to see the state as their own, contribute to its strength and invest in its future. In this sense, Ohrid did more than secure rights for Albanians. It reshaped the understanding of the state itself — not as a temporary balance between communities, but as a system where equality and state strength reinforce each other; where diversity is seen as part of a shared identity rather than a threat; and where ethnicity does not determine the rights or status of citizenship. On this anniversary, one lesson remains particularly relevant. The Ohrid Agreement reminds us that peace cannot be taken for granted. It must be preserved and nurtured through democratic institutions, respect for diversity and a shared vision for the future. For Albania, the stability, security and prosperity of North Macedonia are inseparable from the development and resilience of the region as a whole. Our two countries share not only a border, strategic interests and a path towards the European Union, but also the conviction that inter-ethnic relations based on respect and equality are the foundation on which modern European societies are built.
Albania remains firmly convinced that lasting peace in the Balkans can be built by bringing people closer together, strengthening democratic institutions and bilateral and multilateral relations, respecting human rights, and giving all members of society, without distinction, a reason to see their future as part of the same shared project. Ohrid forged this path 25 years ago. It is the responsibility of today’s generation to carry it forward.The anniversary is also a moment to take stock of the agreement’s implementation, assess its effectiveness and consider what remains unfinished. Upholding the spirit of Ohrid is still an ongoing task: this year’s debate over the use of Albanian in the justice system highlights that the rights secured in 2001 require continuous institutional attention and protection, rather than being confined to formal commemorations.
North Macedonia today is not the same country it was 25 years ago. Its society has evolved, as have the region and Europe. The very concepts of security, sovereignty and cooperation have also undergone significant change. For this reason, Ohrid must also be understood in the context of this future. Preserving the Ohrid Agreement means continuing to build a state in which a return to confrontation and division becomes impossible. This requires responsibility from everyone, both social groups and political elites. As is expected of all countries in our region, we must recognise that the stability of one cannot be built on the insecurity of another. For Albania, its relationship with North Macedonia carries particular importance. We are neighbours, friends, NATO allies, partners in the European integration process and part of the same Balkan space, which knows the high cost of past conflicts but also the value of genuinely investing in a shared future. Albania will continue to support the rights of Albanians wherever they live, while also strongly supporting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and democratic functioning of the states in which they live.These two positions are not contradictory. On the contrary, they reflect the same principle: the rights of communities and the strength of the state are not mutually exclusive. Each reinforces the other. This is one of Ohrid’s important lessons.
Twenty-five years after it was signed, the Ohrid Framework Agreement remains foundational because it answered a fundamental question: can a common state be built in the Western Balkans while respecting different identities and making them part of its strength? The answer provided by the past 25 years of history is undoubtedly yes. That answer must be reaffirmed every day through trust and genuine investment in a future that moves the country forward. A quarter of a century later, perhaps the best way to honour the decision made on Aug. 13, 2001, and celebrate its achievements is not to view Ohrid simply as the agreement that ended conflict and division, but as the agreement that taught us all how to build lasting peace.
