Original article (in Montenegrin) was published on 19/12/2024; Author: Nina Djuranovic
Albanians in North Macedonia, one the country’s largest minority communities, balance political rights and cultural identities, while their role in society remains crucial for the country’s stability.
The Ohrid Agreement did bring significant changes but everyday challenges continue to strain interethnic relations.
In a post on Threads (archived), it was shared that Albanians in North Macedonia are burning Macedonian flags en masse.
“Macedonians are outraged! They’re saying on social media that they took in thousands of Albanians during the war in Kosovo and Metohija, and now these Albanians are burning Macedonian flags en masse!
Macedonians should realize their only true friends are Serbs! Soon, everyone will see the true nature of Albanians and Serbs!”, the post reads.
![](https://seecheck.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/paljenje-1200x643-1-1024x549.jpg)
The claim that Albanians are burning Macedonian flags en masse is a manipulative interpretation of recent events.
Late last month, on November 28 to be exact, the media reported on an incident that occurred during the celebration of Albanian Flag Day.
In Skopje, in the Cair municipality, a group of young Albanians burned at least one flag of North Macedonia, resulting in the arrest of the perpetrators of the incident.
In addition to condemnations from the highest state positions, there was also a reaction from the competent authorities.
The Ministry of Interior of North Macedonia has confirmed the detention of several people, including minors, for inciting ethnic hatred.
“Interior Minister Panche Toskovski said several people, including minors, had been arrested for inciting ethnic hatred and disorder. The prosecution has opened proceedings for inciting hatred, which could result in prison sentences,” the AP reported on the occasion.
Representatives of the Albanian community have also spoken out about this case, sending messages emphasizing calming tensions and condemning extremist actions.
The Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), the leading Albanian political party in North Macedonia, voiced concern about the potential deterioration of interethnic relations. The party stressed that flag-burning does not reflect the values of the majority of Albanians in the country.
This event underscores the persistence of instability in ethnic relations in North Macedonia, despite the legal framework established by the Ohrid Agreement in 2001, which sought to enhance the rights of the Albanian community.
Nevertheless, describing such incidents as “massive” is misleading. This was an isolated event tied to a specific celebration and does not constitute a widespread or accepted practice.
Because of all of the above, the post is rated as a manipulation of facts.
The “Manipulation of Facts” rating is given to a media report that uses known and accurate facts but interprets them in a deceptive manner. These reports generally employ accurate information to draw incorrect conclusions or claims, leading media consumers to draw conclusions that differ from the actual meaning of the presented facts.