TIRANA, Sept. 26 – Ditmir Bushati, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, presented to the Parliamentary Law Commission, for the first time, the draft- law for the “Protection of National Minorities in the Republic of Albania” . This draft-law has been a constant request of minority rights activists and the Council of Europe since 2007, and is therefore in full accordance with European standards and criteria.
According to the draft-law, the national minorities in Albania are officially the Greek, Macedonian, Vlach/Aromanian, Roma, Egyptian, Montenegrin, Bosnian and Serbian minorities. Both EU institutions and minority rights protection organizations assisted in drafting this law, the main interest points of which Bushati highlighted in his speech in front of the Commission.
Firstly, Bushati mentioned that several institutions have worked on drafting this law, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry for Social Issues and the Ministry of Education, considering the law touches on a wide range of issues and taking into account Albania’s international duties after the fall of communism and in context with its desired European integration. However, its proposal does not come only as an institutional necessity, but also as an effort to strengthen and preserve the national, religious and cultural identity of minorities, which are an essential part of society.
The Minister mentioned that “even though the promise for this law was made since 2007, the effort to make it a reality did not take place until 2014. After an analysis on the legal context of minority protection laws in Albania was conducted, several institutions and international groups cooperated to create a unified law that will address a number of issues which, to this moment, remain unaddressed.”
Some of the advising council’s recommendations listed by Bushati were the processing of data and census in full accordance with the self-declaration principle, the strengthening of dialog with minorities’ members on the possibilities of studying in their language, a collaboration with organizations which represent minorities and can discuss on minority issues, the use of minorities’ language when communicating with administrative representatives and the use of traditional names and topographic signs.
In addition, Bushati gave an account of the resolution coming from the ministers of the European Minorities Council. Bushati said this resolution, first brought to the table in 2013, faced debate and disagreement until its approval in 2014 and focused on the approval of a fully-inclusive minority law, the application of appropriate procedural means and data collection that will correctly reflect the condition of minority members, the identification of the means that will protect and develop the cultural identity of minorities and the promotion and inclusion of minority representatives, even those of the smallest groups, in TV and radio programs.
The draft-law, which seems to have taken into consideration even the smallest details, such as enabling the usage of minorities’ languages and road signs in municipalities consisting of 20% minorities’ population, was unanimously voted by the Law Commission.
