DUI: No Albanian cadets admitted to the Military Academy this year — first time since 1995

The Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) said on Friday that this year the Military Academy did not admit a single Albanian cadet — the first time this has happened since the institution was founded in 1995.

In a party statement, DUI argued the development raises questions about the role of the VLEN coalition in state institutions. "This fact raises serious questions about VLEN's role and influence in state institutions, where the representation of Albanians should be not only a declarative principle but a reality in institutional functioning," the statement said.

Party reaction and broader concerns

DUI blamed VLEN for failing to guarantee adequate Albanian representation across public institutions, but said responsibility should not fall solely on the coalition. The party urged the Government to recognise that trust between political partners is built through concrete respect for equality and fair representation, not through declarations.

DUI also demanded answers from VLEN: "VLEN must answer: Where did the representation it promised disappear to?" the party said, stressing that the absence of Albanian cadets at the Military Academy is a concrete symptom of a wider problem.

The party warned that such cases undermine the spirit of the Ohrid Framework Agreement and weaken the principle of equitable representation, which could affect inter-ethnic relations across the country. "This is not how Albanians are represented!" the statement added.

DUI emphasised that representation is not a privilege but a principle that must not become hostage to political calculations, and called on the responsible institutions and political actors to restore balanced inclusion in state bodies.

Photo: press material from the event