Ohrid Framework Agreement: emblems marking identity

Section 7.1. of the OFA reads as follows:
‘7.1. With respect to emblems, next to the emblem of the Republic of Macedonia, local authorities will be free to place on front of local public buildings emblems marking the identity of the community in the majority in the municipality, respecting international rules and usages.’

This article allows the predominantly Muslim Albanian minority in the country to express its national and religious markers in the local communities. To do so, they have to pass the assigned threshold of a majority group. For example, this is the case in several municipalities in Skopje populated with a majority of an Albanian population, as well as in the case of the Skopje municipality of Šuto Orizari, the only European municipality populated with a Roma majority.

The Ohrid Framework Agreement is a settlement that ended a seven-month conflict in North Macedonia in 2001. It was signed by the North Macedonia’s government and representatives of the ethnic Albanian community in the country. Most, but not all, the ethnic Albanians in North Macedonia are Muslims. Ethnic Macedonians are predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christians. Besides religious differences, both groups speak a different language. Tensions between the two groups had built up in the years prior to 2001. In the first half of that year, this turned into open violence. The Ohrid Framework Agreement pacified this conflict. It arranged the disarmament of Albanian militias. It also provided linguistic and cultural rights to the minority groups.

21st century

North Macedonia

42 / 21.433333

Ohrid Framework Agreement

Framework Agreement concluded at Ohrid, Macedonia and signed at Skopje, Macedonia on August 13, 2001.

Yes

Naum Trajanovski