The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia notes with serious concern the published preliminary results of the census held in the Republic of Albania in 2023.

The technical irregularities in the way of its realization, which were continuously pointed out by the Macedonian associations in the Republic of Albania in the run-up to the Census, but also during its realization, resulted in the publication of preliminary data which, unfortunately, do not adequately reflect the real number of ethnic Macedonians in the country.

Additionally, the Ministry expresses displeasure and strongly reacts to the use of the term “North Macedonians” and the use of the name of a country as a substitute for an ethnic community.

The Ministry will call Ambassador Dancho Markovski for urgent consultations aimed at clarifying the shortcomings and inconsistencies in this process, considering the possibilities for appropriate correction of the omissions made and finding the most adequate ways for further joint action and promotion of bilateral relations with the Republic of Albania.

In the coming period, the Ministry will intensively cooperate with the competent representatives of the authorities in the Republic of Albania and with the representatives of the Macedonian community in the Republic of Albania in the direction of their cultural and social promotion within the Albanian society, which unfortunately and more than obviously was completely neglected by of the previous political set in our country.

All open issues between two neighboring states should be resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding and respect for the rules, principles and values ​​of the international legal order.