Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonian (FYROM) encyclopedia sparks academicians’ row

TIRANA, Sep 28 – An encyclopedia of the FYROM Science Academy over the presence of ethnic Albanians in FYROM, considering them as coming from the mountains in a derogatory way, spurred strong reactions among Albanian intellectuals and politicians in Albania, Kosovo and FYROM.
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who is at the United Nations annual session, urged FYROM officials to do their outmost to resolve the problem over the description of Albanians in FYROM’s first encyclopedia.
Berisha met with FYROM President Gjorge Ivanov in New York. Berisha labeled the FYROM encyclopedia as unacceptable.
Media in Albania quote Berisha as saying, “Ƨiven the fact that the Academy is an institution of the Republic of FYROM; it would be a duty of the country’s top officials to intervene with a clear stance. No one can build identity by forging the history.”
The encyclopedia made headlines in Albania’s media last week with many politicians and historians cautioning that it would not be so easy to overcome the imbroglio.
It seems that the pressure, be that academic or official, has given its results as it was learnt that the encyclopedia would be withdrawn and the paragraphs be corrected.