Original title: DOES THE ALBANIAN BECOME MANDATORY IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS?: Was Petar Atanasov’s resignation also due to the introduction of the Albanian language as mandatory?
Some of the Macedonian media for some time now are abusing the nationalist rhetoric in order to encourage discord on ethnic basis. The latest narrative includes “Albanian language becomes mandatory in the primary schools”. In the direction of this propaganda, on June 25, 2019, the portal Infomax published a text speculating that the resignation of the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education and Science, Petar Atanasov, among other reasons was due to the introduction of the mandatory Albanian language.
The media refers to speculations circulating on social networks.
The published information was demanded by the Government, but the portal Infomax, instead of withdrawing it, published another news with a similar narrative.
The news was shared also by other media Dokaz, Republika, Skopje 1, Javno, as well as Kurir and Netpress, which withdrew it after the Government’s demand.
Link to the news: Infomax
The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia categorically denied the news that the Albanian language became mandatory for all the elementary schools and that this was the reason for the resignation of the Deputy Minister Atanasov. According to the Government’s announcement, this is disinformation.
“The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia categorically denies the disinformation that the Albanian language becomes mandatory for all the elementary school pupils and that this is the reason for the resignation of the Deputy Minister Atanasov and requests from the Inforamax, Markukule, Netpress, Kurir and Vecer portals to withdraw the false post, apologize to the citizens and inform them that they have made a photo editing in order to act manipulatively” – announced the Government.
The team of F2N2 believes that the dissemination of this disinformation is risky in itself and shows lack of seriousness, tendentiousness, and unprofessional work. The publication of this disinformation is in order to cause distortion of the unity and create a new division into the Macedonian society. The deliberate dissemination of disinformation indicates that it is a deliberate propaganda.
The languages of our communities are an invaluable cultural asset. Their knowledge should not be misused in any political propaganda. On the contrary, knowing the languages of the nationalities is an added value of knowledge and culture.
