Ali Ahmeti urges unity, warns against divisive policies on 8 September
Ahmeti says the Ohrid accord transformed the state and warns that exclusion and attempts to relativize its principles risk reversing progress.
Ali Ahmeti, leader of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), used North Macedonia's Independence Day on 8 September to appeal for political unity and to warn against policies that, in his view, risk reversing gains achieved after 2001.
Ahmeti highlights the Ohrid agreement as a turning point
In a public message marking the 35th anniversary of independence, Ahmeti framed 2001 and the Ohrid Framework Agreement as the moment when the country's model shifted "from majority dominance to coexistence, equality and shared responsibility." He said that integration of Albanians and other non‑majority communities into institutions was a lengthy process requiring reforms and political commitment.
Ahmeti argued that the goal of that process was not to exclude anyone, but to build a more functional, democratic and just state. "Albanians did not demand another state. On the contrary, they committed to build this state together," he said.
Returning to present concerns, Ahmeti warned that forgetting the reasons behind the 2001 changes could put achievements at risk. "Today my concern is not only for what has been achieved, but also for what can be lost if we forget why the changes of 2001 were necessary. It worries me when I see exclusion in representation, obstacles to the use of languages, non‑inclusiveness in culture and public life, or attempts to undermine and relativize the principles on which peace was built. We must be careful. States are not weakened by equality; they are weakened when their citizens begin to feel excluded," he said.
He added that the Ohrid Agreement strengthened the state's unity by making it more democratic and stable, and that it created the basis for the country's path toward NATO and the European Union. Ahmeti described his vision for North Macedonia as "a unitary, democratic and European state of all its citizens, founded on equality and mutual respect."
The remarks came alongside other brief messages from public figures on the anniversary: Gordana Siljanovska‑Davkova underlined that independence remains an ongoing obligation for generations, Gashi called for viewing the anniversary with faith and optimism, and Filipche said the current generation must strive for a European Macedonia.
Photo: Принтскрин
