Albania establishes minorities sector

Tirana, 25 May 2010 (MIA) - A minorities sector has been established within Albania's Ministry of Culture, Tourism, Youth and Sport, in line with the country's EU integration obligations, MIA reports from Tirana.

The sector is to focus on protection of the ethnic, lingual, cultural and religious identity of minorities in Albania.

Sector officials, led by ministry advisor Bardul Londo, met in Pustec with representatives of the Macedonian minority, led by mayor Edmond Temelko. The ministry officials presented the sector's priorities, planning to financially assist specific projects aimed at promoting the cultural identity of minorities in Albania.

Pustec mayor Temelko focused on the current situation of the Macedonian minority and urged sector representatives to consider all ethnic Macedonians, since "they do not live solely in Pustec, but also in Golo Brdo, Gora, Devol and major Albanian cities".

Moreover, interlocutors agreed that the sector funds the printing of the only Macedonian-language newspaper issued in Albania titled "Prespa", the Macedonian folklore festival in Mala Prespa, along with the printing of books by ethnic Macedonian authors from Albania.