In a post on social media, Spiropali said dialogue remains the safest path to strengthening trust and democratic standards.

“I commend the students for their civic engagement and for the democratic manner in which they have articulated their request to use the Albanian language, in line with rights guaranteed by the constitution and existing legislation,” Spiropali said.

She also welcomed the willingness of North Macedonian institutions, particularly Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Deputy Prime Minister Arben Saliu, to address the issue seriously and in accordance with the country’s constitutional and legal framework.

“Dialogue, institutional solutions and respect for rights remain the most reliable way to strengthen trust and democratic standards,” Spiropali added.

In North Macedonia, 385 Albanian students from three law faculties – the University of Tetovo, South East European University and Mother Teresa University – have submitted a petition requesting that the jurisprudence exam be held in Albanian as well as in Macedonian.

The students argue that the request is guaranteed by law, noting that they complete their studies in Albanian and that Albanian is an official language in the country.

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Today’s test is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am and will last 2.5 hours. Around 145 test centres have been established throughout the country after having been prepared for holding exams.

More than 640 teachers have been hired to assess performance of each student in the tests.

This year, the Ministry of Education and Sports has decided to hold personalized tests for high school students with special abilities.

The State Matura exam includes four subjects: Foreign language (typically English), Albanian language and literature, mathematics set to take place on June 17 and an elective subject, scheduled for June 24.

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In his remarks at a panel discussion “Albanian language in diaspora”, Foreign Minister focused on the joint pilot project underway with the Ministry of Education about Albanian language classes for second-generation Albanian students in the neighboring Greece.

Hasani underlined that the project focuses mainly in the countries with large Albanian communities, including Greece, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain and the United States of America.

“Hundreds and thousands Albanian families living and working in these countries wish to keep close relation with their homeland and always want their children be provided the opportunity to further cherish and strengthen this relation,” Foreign Minister said.

He noted that students from the Presheva Valley are also provided scholarship from the Albanian universities. Hasani added that two General Consulates were opened this year in Struge, North Macedonia, and Ulqin, Montenegro, to help deliver on this joint initiative.

Hasani said that 719 teachers have been hired to teach Albanian around 20 000 children in various disapora schools, adding that over 55 000 textbooks have been distributed to Albanian diaspora kids in the last two years only.

Foreign Minister Hasani also emphasized the need for establishment of a Development Agency.

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President’s press office announced some of the main events and meetings during his Calabria visit.

In addition to Calabria’s local Arberesh community, many Albanian citizens living and working in neighbouring Italy travelled to the area to welcome the Albanian head of state on his most recent visit to the southern Italian province.

After meeting with them,  President Begaj visited the museum in Spezzano Albanese, where history and traditions of the Arberesh community are preserved.

At meetings with local authorities in Spezzano Albanese, the Mayor of this municipality announced the initiative to introduce Arberesh (Albanian) language to local schools. Similar initiative was announced at meeting with President Begaj by the representative of Calabria region.

The Albanian head of state praised local officials and pledged support to press ahead with this initiative.

The Arbëreshë, also known as Albanians of Italy or Italo-Albanians, are an Albanian ethno-linguistic group in Southern Italy, mostly concentrated in scattered villages in the region of Calabria and, to a lesser extent, in the regions of Abruzzo, Apulia, Basilicata, Campania, Molise and Sicily.

Arberesh are the descendants of Albanian refugees who fled Albania, and later some from Morea between the 14th and the 18th centuries following the Ottoman conquest of the Balkans.

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