Albanian Group Seeks Federalization

[Soldier of Macedon]

I remember in my younger days places such as Bitola and areas around Prespa had a huge Albanian minority(think around 1960.) Tito quickly changed that and granted visas to any Albanian. This quickly changed the demographics of these areas. I'm not complaining so much about this, but it is the truth.

It saddens me how short minded we Macedonians have become.

Bitola had a huge ethnic Albanian population? Garbage. You're Macedonian? ............

[Bij]

Bitola has more turks than albanians. and the turks in bitola are lovely people

[Prolet]

Jankovska, To me it doesnt matter who comes from where when it comes to defending Macedonia. Either Skopje or Dolno Dupeni it doesnt matter, i know alot of people from Eastern Macedonia went but believe me there was alot from Skopje,Tetovo and Kumanovo. Alot of people who wanted to go were told they couldnt its a simple fact, in the Skopje Suburb of Gjorche Petrov people were given Kalashnikovs with Licni Karti just to defend themselves because of the Albanians near Kondovo and Saraj.

I remember speaking to people from Tetovo (Makedonci) they were held back and wernt allowed to go into the other suburb to say the least.

Bij, Bitola to the Turks is very sacred i remember the president of the Turkish parliament who came to Bitola for a visit said that after Ankara and Istanbul, Bitola is the most important city to them and alot of Turks do go to visit Bitola alot because Mustafa Kemal Ataturk studied there. Not to say that Bitola is a Turkish city, however Bitola is very much a city thats liked by many countries in the Balkan region even if you include Greece, however i do believe the Greeks prefer Gevgelija but that doesnt matter.

[Bij]

Prolet. i should have been more clear, sorry.

there are very few albanians living in BT. there is a clear misconception when census' show muslims in bitola, or see the amount of mosques in bitola, automatically assume that is made up of an albanian population. this is a wrong assumption.

but you are right, bitola is a beautiful city and its ladies are even more beaauutiful. which is tough to say considering all macedonian females are godly!

[Prolet]

Nema Nema ne ke se rodi, po ubavo devojce od Makedonche!!

YouTube - Makedonsko devojce - Makedonski narodni pesni

Bitola is a fantastic city, its not hard to see why so many people love it.

[Bij]

Bitola is one of the most sung about cities in the world. or so i've read

[George S.]

Bitola is my roden kraj & i love it.It is a down to earth city.THe people are vey hospitable.If i'm on holidays i make a point of visiting it.When i stay in BItola it's got everything one needs.a stroll through sirock sokak is great.Or go to the korso.Midnite stroll & chat is great.I enjoy the food.they make the best burek,or at a restaurant i'll have a hungarian ghoulash,there's boza,sladolet,& limonade.Then i could stroll to the markets & see what's offered & you can hagle the price.Bitola is moj roden Kraj jac ja sakam mnogy.

[Soldier of Macedon]

George, you have a funny way of spelling words in Macedonian, why is that?

[Risto the Great]

Bitola carries the torch for Egej in my opinion.

[Ohrid77]

Bitola had a huge ethnic Albanian population? Garbage. You're Macedonian? ............

Yes I'm Macedonian. I remember as a kid walking in Bitola and having to listen to that God awful language known as Albanian. Today is different, thank God.

[Soldier of Macedon]

My whole family is from Bitola and they never mentioned ethnic Albanians, except some in a few isolated villages south of Bitola city. One may not be able to deny a presence but to claim it was anything remotely close to 'huge' is a gross inaccuracy.

[Prolet]

You're right SOM

Bitola does have Albanians but they are very much civilized and not like the Kosovars in Tetovo and Gostivar. Bitola only has two mosques in the center of the city and thats pretty much it, its a great city with lots of good people there. The people are very tolerant and there is no reason why Ethnic Albanians,Turks or Gjupci would feel like they dont get the proper human rights.

There are not many Albanians in Bitola, they are maybe 5% max from the total population.

[Ohrid77]

My whole family is from Bitola and they never mentioned ethnic Albanians, except some in a few isolated villages south of Bitola city. One may not be able to deny a presence but to claim it was anything remotely close to 'huge' is a gross inaccuracy.

Today is a different story mate. Many of these Albanians have moved to the West and Turkey. They were given papers to leave during the Yugo times and they took it. Like I said, I'm not complaining. Just saying.....

[Soldier of Macedon]

I am not talking about just today, I am talking about 20, 30, 40 years ago. When exactly are you talking about, namely the period where you walked through Bitola and heard the Albanian tongue?

[Dejan]

I'm with SOM on this one. My whole family originates from Bitola and never have I heard of a time when the albanian tongue was dominant as Ohrid77 claims. I call BS on Ohrid77's info.

And by the way Ohrid77, why is it that everyone of your posts so far has to do with albanians? Even in other threads...