Montenegro Albanians Unite in Elections, Seeking Power

For the first time, the three main ethnic Albanian parties in Montenegro will in run the next general elections in the country as a coalition, in order to get more seats in parliament and so boost the fight for their national rights.

Leaders of the three parties - Forca [Strength], the Union of Albanians, UDSH, and the Albanian Alternative party - said their platform would focus on "protection of the Albanian identity in Montenegro, the protection and promotion of the Albanian language and national symbols, strengthening education in Albanian, decentralization and improvement of the social and economical ethnic community".

Genz Nimanbegu, an MP for Forca, told BIRN on Monday that the three parties had much in common and were trying to correct the errors of the last elections, in 2012, when he claimed that disunity had deprived Albanians of at least one seat in the national assembly.

"We [together] won 12,500 votes, but, instead of three, have only two MPs ... We will not allow that again," Nimanbegu said.

According to the 2011 census, 30,439 Albanians live in Montenegro making up 4.91 per cent of Montenegro's population.

Nimanbegu believes that if Montenegro's Albanians act and vote together, they can win three of the 81 seats in parliament - or more - and then finally deal with some national issues.

Albanians in Montenegro have for years complained of linguistic and political discrimination, while urging the authorities to employ more Albanians in the public sector.

"Apart from [Albanian] national issues, we want to deal with the economic and social problems that burden everyone in Montenegro," Nimanbegu said.

Ylli Pata, a journalist and analyst from Albania, told BIRN said that the new joint platform in Montenegro...