Albanian President warns Macedonia not to turn political crisis into ethnic conflict — Tirana Echo

Nishani_Ivanov_Albania_Macedonia_Presidents — Albanian President Bujar Nishani and Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov

Albanian Prwesident Bujar Nishani yesterday warned the Macedonian counterpart Gjorge Ivanov, not to turn a political crisis into an ethnic one in a country where Albanians make up around a quarter of the population.

The two presidents met during the 5th Global Forum of Baku in Azerbaijan, the first high level meeting between the two neighboring countries since the refusal of President Ivanov to grant Social Democrat leader Zoran Zaev a mandate to form a coalition government with ethnic Albanian parties.

Nishani told Ivanov that “Albania has never interfered and does not interfere in internal matters of another country, and especially of its neighbors“.

The Albanian President pointed out that ethnic Albanians are a ‘state forming’ entity in Macedonia while Albania will always support heir legitimate demands for full respect and implementation of the Ohrid Agreement.

Earlier in the month, Macedonia’s President Ivanov accused Tirana of meddling in Macedonia’s internal affairs. Gjorge Ivanov argued that a common platform signed in Albania in January by three of his country’s ethnic Albanian parties endangers Macedonia’s sovereignty and independence.