“I think this is the century of Albanians and not only Tirana, but also Prishtina should have a key role here,” has said the President of the Albanian Democratic League (ADL) and leader of the Albanian Forum from Malësia e Madhe in Montenegro, Nikoll Camaj.
Mr. Camaj launched that appeal in an exclusive interview with the journalist, Marjana Doda for Argumentum.al against the background of the upcoming parliamentary elections to be held in Montenegro on August 30 in view of which Albanian parties in Montenegro have joined a grand coalition under the slogan “Time is now!”
“By supporting the independence of Montenegro, we have directly helped the independence of Kosovo, and with NATO integration we have created a safer environment for the region, and for our allies, and therefore for us. However, today I think it is time to return to ourselves and our demands. That is why our election slogan “Time is now!” multiplies in meaning, because time is to become a factor, time is to be decisive,” Mr. Camaj said.
Regarding cooperation and co-government with the Montenegrin parties, Mr. Camaj had the following answer: “Our representatives in the Parliament and the executive bodies must be in unison in attitudes and actions, and the result will not be missing. In this way we will be worthy partners towards the Montenegrins, and not an inferior decoration of the meetings where our issues are resolved.”
In a comment on the micro and macro political reality, as well as the geopolitical turbulences that often accompany the Western Balkans, he thought that Albanians should be united preserving the identity and an all-Albanian ethno-cultural and linguistic area.
“I think that Albanians should stay close to each other, preserve properties and areas where they live in the majority, not be assimilated and preserve an all-Albanian ethno-cultural and linguistic area through cooperation regardless of to whom we pay the taxes,” Mr. Camaj pointed out.
In the meantime the leader of the Albanian Forum from Malësia e Madhe in Montenegro highlighted the request to ‘mother’ Albania which as he said could not be missing, appreciating the fact that official Tirana has made maximum contribution to the unification of the Albanian political spectrum in Montenegro. His appeal was that this cooperation and this care should continue.
“The good ties between the two countries should be used to ensure better representation of Albanians at all levels. In the first place, it is the education of the cadres having in mind the possibility of opening branches of higher education in the Albanian language in Montenegro, investments in the culture of Albanians here, as well as the creation of conditions for the creation of common Albanian corporations regardless of the state in order to employ young people.”
Although it was impossible for all Albanian political parties in Montenegro to come up with a single list in the parliamentary elections Mr. Camaj has a message to the entire Albanian electorate: “No votes for non-Albanian parties. None, except Albanian parties, can deal with the Albanian issue.” (Full text of the interview is in Albanian at argumentum.al)
