Sofia's MEPs Push for Bulgarian Rights in Albania

Bulgarian MEPs are pushing for the rights of Bulgarians allegedly living in eastern Albania to get onto the European agenda.

The issue of the community - whose existence Albania disputes - has been included in the European Parliament draft resolution on Albania, scheduled for debate on February 14, on the demand of Bulgarian MEPs.

"Further efforts are needed to protect the rights of all minorities in Albania ... [and the EU] recommends that the rights of people with Bulgarian ethnicity in the Prespa, Golo Brdo, and Gora regions be enshrined in law and ensured in practice," the amendment reads.

MEP Andrey Kovachev from the European People's Party, or EPP, referring to unofficial data, insists that between 50,000 and 100,000 people of Bulgarian ethnic origin live in eastern Albania.

The claim is disputed in Albania where many researchers argue that while some people in these areas can speak a broken Bulgarian, this is largely the result of them living on the border with people who speak Slavic languages.

Neither the government of Albania nor the opposition has commented on this new initiative, and the Foreign Ministry did not reply to BIRN's request for a response.

Albania currently recognizes two types of minorities, national-ethnic minorities, and cultural-linguistic ones. The first category includes the Greek, Macedonian and Serb-Montenegrin minorities. Those claiming Bulgarian ethnicity have not been listed in any either category.

Albania is meanwhile drafting a specific law regarding minorities and on January 7 representatives of the minorities gathered to discuss this new initiative.

Representatives of the ethnic Bulgarian "Prosperity Goloborda" organisation were not invited to the discussions, however.