DUI accuses Biljal Kasami of downplaying Albanian presence at state events and awards

The Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) has publicly challenged remarks by Biljal Kasami — co‑chair of Vlen and mayor of Tetovo — accusing him of downplaying the absence of Albanians at state ceremonies and in the distribution of the "8 September" awards.

In a party statement, DUI said Kasami's comment that "sometimes there may be fewer or more" Albanians at particular events amounted to an attempt to relativize their exclusion and to excuse unequal representation.

Party demands equal representation

“When Albanians are absent, the commissions are blamed. When equal representation is demanded, the authorities hide behind excuses. This is not equality. This is the ethical over the ethnic,” the party said, calling on authorities to ensure fair and appropriate presence of Albanians at all state programs, ceremonies and award procedures in line with the principle of equality and the Ohrid Framework Agreement.

“Albanians are not asking for privileges, but for real equality and respect for their contribution to the state. When Albanians are excluded, that is not ‘sometimes fewer’. That is discrimination,” DUI added, reiterating its demand that Albanian language and communities be visibly present in official commemorations.

Kabinet of Kasami rejected DUI's accusations, arguing that representation cannot be reduced to fixed numerical quotas for every event. Kasami said that assessment commissions decide based on applications and nominations and that particular events can have varying numbers of participants from different communities.

“There are commissions that assess based on applications and requests, but of course there are events where there will have been or have been more Albanians. We do not view individual events as something that necessarily has to have a certain number of communities. So, in accordance with the dedication and contributions that communities give in certain areas, sometimes there may be fewer or more. This also means that at another award, at another event, I believe Albanians will be more represented,” Kasami said.

DUI additionally pointed to state commemorations of the country's 35th anniversary of independence, saying the Albanian language was wholly neglected on official stages and that among recipients of the "8 September" awards there was not a single Albanian name.

Photo: press material from the event