The opening of an Albanian academy of sciences could open Pandora’s box, with other minorities also asking for separate ethnic academies, says professor Elka Jaceva Ulcar in an interview with Republika. The Albanian VLEN coalition initiated the creation of a civic organization which they want to eventually turn into an official academy, insisting that Albanians are not sufficiently represented in the MANU academy.

There is no country in the civilized world that has two academies, particularly not in a unitary country such as Macedonia. The opening of a separate Albanian academy could open Pandora’s box and in the future we could see academies for other portions of nations who are cited in the Preamble of our Constitution or aspire to be listed there. What would guarantee that the Bulgarians won’t make the same demand, citing the Albanian academy as precedent? That is why we must not allow the creation of a parallel academy to MANU, Jaceva told Republika.

VLEN controls several municipalities, including Tetovo, Cair and Gostivar, and is going to use their funds to finance the NGO organization called Albanian academy of arts and sciences.

This behavior of the Albanian political factors in the country is dangerous. Instead of contributing toward bringing us closer together, under a joint national platform that would benefit all citizens of the Republic of Macedonia, they are contributing toward polarization, fragmentation and constantly tense and conflicted relations between the Macedonians and the Albanians. We have one Government, one Parliament, one Supreme Court, and one Academy. MANU should remain the main scientific and artistic institution, above ethnicities and parties, the linguistics professor told Republika.