De-Albanianization Deepens – Ministry of Energy Hires 19 Macedonians, Just 1 Albanian

 The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Mineral Resources (MEMMR) in North Macedonia has issued 20 new employment decisions, hiring 19 ethnic Macedonians and only 1 ethnic Albanian. This decision is seen as a continuation of a growing trend in public institutions — mass employment of Macedonians and the systematic exclusion of Albanians.

The Ministry, a newly established institution under the current monoethnic government, has already been labeled by critics as an arm of the VMRO-DPMNE party. From its inception, it has reflected the broader ethnic imbalance that appears to be deepening across state institutions.

This pattern is not isolated to the Ministry of Energy. Similar hiring practices have been reported in other ministries, agencies, and public institutions that previously employed more Albanians. Since the formation of the VMRO-VLEN government, thousands of Macedonians have reportedly been employed in public administration, while in many institutions not a single Albanian has been hired — or, as in this latest case, only one.

Adding to the concern, numerous ethnic Albanians have allegedly been dismissed from their jobs or had their employment contracts terminated, further reinforcing accusations of institutional ethnic discrimination.

Community leaders and human rights observers have voiced serious concerns, warning that such policies risk undermining ethnic harmony and violating principles of equal representation enshrined in the Ohrid Framework Agreement — the foundation for interethnic peace and governance in the country.

The trend has sparked widespread criticism from Albanian political and civil society actors, who are calling for immediate action to halt what they describe as a dangerous and deliberate effort to marginalize the Albanian population from public life.