BBC Monitoring, February 22, 2005

Text of report by Mariela Trajkovska: "Xhaferri wants Beethoven rather than Goce Delcev in anthem", published by Macedonian newspaper Dnevnik on 19 February

It is risky for Albanians to be integrated into Macedonia without obtaining complete equality, because this would otherwise entail their assimilation. For Albanians to regard Macedonia as their own state, the national symbols, the anthem and the flag must be changed. This is so because it has been proved in practice that Albanians cannot identify themselves with the existing symbols, DPA [Democratic Party of Albanians - PDSh in Albanian] chairman Arben Xhaferri told Dnevnik.

He believes that Macedonia should adopt a new anthem with humanitarian messages and music, such as that of Beethoven, Chopin or Bach. Xhaferri says that it would be unrealistic to expect Albanians to identify themselves with an anthem that glorifies Goce Delcev or Pitu Guli [Macedonian national heroes], although he respects them as historical persons, just as Macedonians would be unable to identify themselves with an anthem about Jumni Jonuzi [Albanian teacher].

Therefore, he proposes that the state flag be altered. In Xhaferri's view, the state flag should be acceptable for all citizens, and then Macedonians, Albanians and the other communities could have their national flags.

"When it comes to the country, the most painless way to integrate someone is to assimilate them, whereas the most painful way is to accept the differences. Macedonian political history has doubtless affirmed the idea that Macedonia is the state of the Macedonian nation. This is why the attribute Macedonian is widely and consistently used. The state, the flag, the name, the television and everything else are all Macedonian. Albanians do not find themselves in this adjective, which is why the issue of the language, the symbols and the anthem is being raised. This is an objective problem, so it should be treated as such. According to the Framework Agreement, the concept of a state should depict its multiethnic character.

If this is accepted as a good solution, all the issues about the use of the language and symbols can be solved easily."

He believes that neither he nor the DUI [Democratic Union for Integration - BDI in Albanian] are causing the Albanians' antagonism regarding uninational symbols, because this is an objective problem.

Xhaferri also announced that if the government ignored these requests, Albanians might express their discontent through protests and civil disobedience.

Source: Dnevnik, Skopje, in Macedonian 19 Feb 05 pp 1, 3