Reactions following the protest of Albanian students over taking the bar exam in the Albanian language have sparked political and legal debate in North Macedonia. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski stated that the government is working to find a solution, calling for students not to be used as a political tool. He emphasized that any decision must remain within the constitutional and legal framework.
Hristijan Mickoski, Prime Minister:
“It is a fact that students who study law in their mother tongue, in this case Albanian, have the right to do so and are part of the education system in Macedonia. Therefore, we have established a Commission. This Commission is composed of constitutional experts and is working to find a solution that will be both constitutional and in line with international standards.”
On the other hand, the Ministry of Justice announced that it respects the right to protest, but highlighted attempts at political manipulation, recalling the role of political structures in the state of the judicial system over the past two decades.
Ministry of Justice of North Macedonia:
“The Ministry of Justice remains open to constructive dialogue with all interested parties and carefully reviews all initiatives and proposals, strictly within its legal competences. Our priority remains strengthening the rule of law and establishing a fair, transparent, and high-quality system of professional evaluation, free from political influence. We will not allow any misuse of the Constitution and laws.”
This stance was opposed by representatives of civil society and legal experts, who argue that the focus should be on the candidate’s legal knowledge, not the language of the exam.
Blendi Hodai, Forum for Changes in Education (FECH):
“The bar exam is not a Macedonian language test, but a professional exam for the practical application of law. It does not automatically make you a judge or prosecutor, but only opens the path for further training, which is conducted in the Macedonian language anyway. Therefore, it is not clear where the problem lies in allowing students who have studied for four years in Albanian to exercise a right granted to them by law. Or is the real issue the Albanian language itself?”
According to official data, in the past five years, out of 881 candidates for the bar exam, 232 have been Albanians. However, current provisions stipulate that the exam is conducted only in the Macedonian language.
The post Debate over the bar exam in Albanian deepens after student protest appeared first on Euronews Albania.
