The chairman of the Alliance for Albanians in North Macedonia, Arben Taravari, has reacted strongly to racist chants made by Macedonian fans during a basketball match between North Macedonia and Romania, recently held in Kumanovo. During a visit to the city of Pogradec, after a meeting with the mayor, Taravari described the incident as a scandalous event, which has shocked public opinion and has been widely commented on by the political spectrum in North Macedonia, including several Macedonian parties.
"I want to publicly thank Albania and Kosovo for the solidarity they showed in this case. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a dangerous trend in recent months, where Macedonian nationalism is on the rise significantly," Taravari declared.
He emphasized that such a political climate was one of the main reasons why the Alliance for Albanians decided to leave the government three months ago, moving into opposition and currently preparing for local elections.
According to him, the insulting rhetoric towards Albanians was also encouraged by the Macedonian Prime Minister himself, who had made insulting statements in parliament a few days before the incident. Taravari noted that these contemptuous attitudes are directly reflected in the behavior of citizens and contribute to the escalation of interethnic tensions.
"It is no coincidence that the latest European Union report also mentions the increased influence of the Serbian world in the institutions of North Macedonia. This is a serious problem that is negatively affecting the political and social developments of the country," he said.
In conclusion, Taravari emphasized that although Albanians in North Macedonia are divided into two political blocs, this constitutes a kind of healthy diversity that serves democracy and a more balanced society.
