Macedonian Alliance for European Integration

The Macedonian Alliance for European Integration (Macedonian Party) (Macedonian: Македонска Алијанса за Европска Интеграција Albanian: Aleanca Maqedonase për Integrimin Europian) is a political party of the ethnic Macedonians in Albania. It was established on 30 October 2004 under the name Macedonian Alliance for European Integration and was registered as a political party on 8 June 2005.[2] The first president of the party was Edmond Temelko, who was the mayor of the Pustec Municipality from 2007 until 2019. It first succeeded in electing an ethnic Macedonian to parliament in 2019, Vasil Sterjovski.[3] Sterjovski himself was elected as the president of the party in September 2019. The party does not support the claims that a Bulgarian minority exists in Albania.[4]

Macedonian Alliance for European Integration (Macedonian Party)
Македонска Алијанса за Европска Интеграција (Македонска Партија)
LeaderVasil Sterjovski
FoundedOctober 30, 2004[1]
IdeologyRegionalism
Conservatism
Macedonian minority interests
Political positionCentre-right to right-wing
Council Seats
3 / 1,613
Website
MAEI

History

The party's first congress was held on 25 April 2009 in Tirana, the capital city of Albania. At the congress the party delegates made several major decisions:[1]

  • the statute and party program were adopted
  • a central committee was formed
  • the party leader was elected
  • the party name was changed from Macedonian Alliance for European Integration into Macedonian Party
  • decisions were made about establishing regional organizations of the party

In 2011, Macedonian Alliance for European Integration informed the mediums that Macedonians in Albania will boycott the Albanian Census of 2011.[5] Also, the party denied the results, based on the Census Law Amendments approved by the Albanian Parliament that established a fine of $1,000 to each person declaring unreal or partial data, specifically declaring ethnicity different to what is written in the birth certificate.[6]

In August 2023, Vasil Sterjovski was unanimously re-elected as the party's president.[7]

Electoral results

2007 local elections

The party participated in 2007 Albanian local election,[8] obtaining 1.086[9] votes (0,08%) and gaining 4 councillor mandates: 1 in Trebisht and 3 in Liqenas,[10] and Edmond Temelko with 1.468 votes supported by PS, LSI, PSD, PDS and AD was elected as mayor of the Liqenas Commune.[11]

2009 parliamentary elections

The party participated in the 2009 Albanian parliamentary election and entered a coalition with the Democratic Party of Albania of prime minister Sali Berisha.[1]

2011 local elections

In the 2011 local elections of Albania, the Macedonian Party president Edmond Temelko was re-elected as the mayor of the Liqenas Commune. The party received a plurality in two municipalities, Liqenas (28.5%) and Trebisht (19.6%). The party also received a significant percentage of votes in Bilisht, Pirg, and other regions bordering the Republic of Macedonia.[12]

2015 local elections

The party participated in 2015 Albanian local election, obtaining 3,647 votes (0.23%)[13] and gaining 9 councilor mandates: 7 in Pustec,[14] 1 in Pogradec[15] and 1 in Maliq,[16] and Edmond Temelko with 2,076 votes supported by ASE was elected as mayor of the Pustec Municipality.[17]

2023 local elections

In the 2023 Albanian local elections, the Macedonian Alliance for European Integration was in coalition with the ruling Socialist Party and supported the incumbent Socialist Party mayor of Pustec, Pali Kolefski. The party had candidates for councilors in Pustec, though Macedonian candidates in other parts of the country ran under the Socialist Party.[18] Kolefski faced and defeated Pandi Jani, supported by the opposition.[19] MAEI member Jovan Shkëmbi was elected to Pogradec local council[20] and was subsequently selected for the council of Korçë County along with MAEI party member from Pustec Takjo Grozdani.[21]

References
  1. "Edmond Temelko elected leader of Macedonian Party in Albania". MIA. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011.
  2. "Регистрирана првата партија на Македонците во Албанија". А1 Macedonia (in Macedonian). Archived from the original on July 25, 2011.
  3. "Ethnic Macedonian Vasil Sterjovski sworn in as Albanian MP". MIA. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  4. "Македонците демантираат, во Албанија нема Бугари". Deutsche Welle (in Macedonian).
  5. "Утрински весник". www.utrinski.com.mk.
  6. "Канал 5". kanal5.com.mk. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013.
  7. "Васил Стерјовски едногласно реизбран за претседател на МАЕИ". Kanal 5. 29 July 2023.
  8. CEC 2004 Election Files
  9. "Shpërndarja e votave të vlefshme të subjekteve zgjedhore për këshilltarë në rang vendi" (PDF). Central Election Commission (in Albanian). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2009. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
  10. "Rezultati përfundimtar i zgjedhjeve të datës 18.02.2007 për këshilltarë bashkie, komune dhe njësie bashkiake" (PDF). Central Election Commission (in Albanian). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2009. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
  11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-12-12. Retrieved 2009-04-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. "Central Elections Commission". Archived from the original on 2016-09-30. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  13. "Local elections 2015". Central Election Commission. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  14. "Local elections 2015". Central Election Commission. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  15. "Demokra – Integrated Elections Information System of CEC Albania". Archived from the original on 2015-07-14. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  16. "Demokra – Integrated Elections Information System of CEC Albania". Archived from the original on 2015-07-14. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  17. "Demokra – Integrated Elections Information System of CEC Albania". Archived from the original on 2015-07-14. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  18. "МАКЕДОНСКАТА ПАРТИЈА МАЕИ ВО ИЗБОРНА КОАЛИЦИЈА СО СОЦИЈАЛИСТИТЕ, ВО ПУСТЕЦ ЌЕ ГО ПОДДРЖИ КОЛЕФСКИ". Vesti. 26 March 2023.
  19. Vera Todorovska (1 April 2023). "Панди Јани кандидат на албанската опозиција за градоначалник на Пустец". Debar: MIA.
  20. Vera Todorovska (4 September 2023). "Македонецот Јован Шкмби нов советник во Советот на општина Поградец". Tirana.
  21. "Македонците со тројца претставници во Советот на округот Корча". Kanal 5. 3 October 2023.
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