TIRANA, June 10/ATA/ Mayor of Presheva Ardita Sinani and Prof. Dr. Ilir Zylfiu met with the presidency and institute directors of the Albanian Academy of Sciences to discuss the pressing challenges and concerns of the Presheva region’s Albanian community.
During the meeting, the interlocutors highlighted policies aimed at the gradual depopulation of Albanians in the Presheva Valley through systematic discrimination. They pointed at “passivating” the addresses of legally residing citizens, stripping them of fundamental rights, the refusal to recognize Kosovo university diplomas alongside ethnically biased hiring in the public sector, intentional underdevelopment and discrimination in education, regional funding and cultural heritage preservation. The participants emphasized that despite past efforts to internationalize these concerns, no sustainable solutions have been achieved. To combat this ongoing crisis, they urged closer cooperation among academic, educational and executive institutions to amplify global awareness and protect the Albanian population.
The Academy of Sciences of Albania expressed its full support for recent efforts to guarantee the fundamental rights and freedoms of Albanians in the Presheva Valley. Aligning with European standards, the Academy advocates for Presheva Valley Albanians to enjoy the same individual, institutional and self-governance rights as minority groups elsewhere in Europe. To achieve this, the Academy is mobilizing its structures to address historical, cultural, and educational challenges with scientific backing and to present actionable solutions to national and international institutions. Furthermore, the Academy proposed creating a dedicated liaison structure to streamline coordination with municipal leaders and the Albanian community in Presheva Valley.
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