Court delays ruling on language law, fueling ethnic tensions in North Macedonia

North Macedonia is experiencing renewed ethnic tensions following the recent postponement by its Constitutional Court on a significant law that concerns the use of minority languages. This ruling, originally scheduled for early December 2024, involved the controversial 2019 legislation that designated Albanian as a second official language in areas with a substantial ethnic Albanian population. The potential legal challenges to this law have fueled protests and debates about its implications for the country's multi-ethnic society. The law in question has faced criticism from various groups who argue about its constitutionality and the uncertainties in its applications, particularly regarding judicial proceedings. Protestors, organized by the ethnic Albanian opposition party DUI, demonstrated outside the court, emphasizing the law's importance for maintaining ethnic balance in North Macedonia. The demonstrators warned that any repeal or rollback of the law would destabilize the delicate equilibrium established following the 2001 Ohrid Agreement, which aimed to protect the rights of ethnic Albanians after a brief conflict. Bujar Osmani, the deputy leader of the DUI, expressed concerns about the lack of ethnic minority judges present at the court session. He indicated that mono-ethnic gatherings often lead to tensions in multi-ethnic nations and reiterated that the fight for language rights is essential for the broader protection of a multi-ethnic society in North Macedonia. This situation has been complicated further by political accusations, with the ruling conservative government, VMRO-DPMNE, claiming that the DUI is exploiting the issue for political gain, thus exacerbating tensions across communities. The postponement of the ruling is intended to allow for further deliberation, which court officials noted could extend for up to three months, as they seek input from foreign experts. As the debate surrounding the law continues and the country braces for potential further unrest, the international community also watches closely, including organizations like the Venice Commission, which have previously criticized certain ambiguities within the law.