ZNAM: Judicial exam must be in Macedonian only

The ZNAM movement issued a sharp statement opposing proposals to allow the judicial qualification exam to be taken in Albanian, arguing the test must be administered exclusively in Macedonian and that language rights must be exercised within the framework of the Constitution and laws rather than through political pressure.

Legal basis and earlier expert opinion

ZNAM points to Article 7 of the Constitution, which it says establishes Macedonian as the official language across the entire territory, and to the Law on the Judicial Exam, which — the movement asserts — contains no provision permitting the exam to be held in any language other than Macedonian. The party also refers to the Venice Commission’s 2019 observations on the application of the Law on the Use of Languages in the judiciary and to specific laws regulating judicial professions that require knowledge of Macedonian.

While ZNAM stressed it respects the language rights of all citizens, the statement warned those rights cannot be interpreted in isolation from the overall constitutional and legal order. The movement criticised what it called attempts to impose ethnic or political agendas by selective readings of the rules.

In a direct appeal to public sentiment, ZNAM wrote: "Macedonia is a unitary state. It is not a subject of political bargaining, nor a state project that can be reopened whenever certain political centres need new ethnic divisions."

The party concluded with a pointed remark aimed at the ethnic Albanian party often associated with language-driven demands: "We will not allow a reprise of 'DUI-land'. That time is over!"

ZNAM’s statement signals it will oppose any regulatory or political moves to broaden the language options for the judicial exam, elevating the dispute from an administrative question to a matter of constitutional order and electoral politics.

Photo: press material from the event