North Macedonia, the language issue continues to divide

In April and May 2026, protests were held in Skopje by students of Albanian nationality, who demanded that the bar exam be taken in Albanian. In North Macedonia, it is possible to study in the Albanian language at several public and private universities. However, the Law on the Bar Exam stipulates that it must be taken exclusively in Macedonian language and Cyrillic script as a professional requirement, as well as the legal obligation of active knowledge of the Macedonian language as a fundamental constitutional requirement for all court officials.

Since 2019, the status of the Albanian language has been formalised: in practice, this means that citizens have the right to communicate with state institutions (ministries, courts, public enterprises) in Albanian, with institutions required to provide translation and bilingual forms and documents.

The authorities have announced a three-month deadline for working groups to harmonise the legislation. The government has promised that, in addition to the bar exam, all professional exams and licences will be available in the mother tongue, while students warn that if the promise is not implemented in practice, Skopje could face a new wave of even larger protests.

Full article on OBCT: https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/en/cp_article/north-macedonia-the-languag... by Aleksandar Samardjiev Tetovo

Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ss._Cyril_and_Methodius_Universi...