Albanians in North Macedonia strongly condemn Tetovo name changes

North Macedonia’s Constitutional Court recently ruled to annul 2007 decisions by the Tetovo municipality, restoring original street and square names such as “Marshal Tito” and references to the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA). Albanian-named streets adopted after 2007, including those honoring Albanian cultural or national figures, were removed.

Hundreds of ethnic Albanians on Friday protested the court decision which restores the name “Marshal Tito” to the main street “Illyria”.

According to the 2021 census, 65% of the residents of Tetovo are ethnic Albanians.

🇲🇰 Hundreds of Albanians protested in Tetova/o after Constitutional Court of North Macedonia decided to restore the former Yugoslav-era names of several streets, replacing Albanian names.
The main street named "Illyria" will be renamed "Marshal Tito." pic.twitter.com/AdIG5NoaBZ
— kos_data (@kos_data) June 26, 2026

The decision has sparked sharp reactions from Albanian parties and figures like former Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani, who described it as more than symbolic a potential prelude to challenging the official use of the Albanian language.

North Macedonia’s Constitutional Court has annulled a 20-year-old decision of the Municipality of Tetovo, restoring the names “Marshal Tito” and “Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA)” to the city’s main square and boulevard, while abolishing Albanian names adopted in 2007.
This decision…
— Bujar Osmani (@Bujar_O) June 26, 2026

The move aligns with the nationalist policy of the government led by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski of the VMRO-DPMNE party. Tito glorification remains controversial in the post-Yugoslav space, and can be interpreted today in the context of his alignment with the “Serbian world” project promoted by the strongman in Belgrade, Alexandar Vučić.

The European Union, through the European Parliament, Commission, and member states, views the concept of “Serbian world” which promotes unified political, cultural, and institutional ties among Serb populations across the Western Balkans (often interpreted as challenging the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo) — as destabilizing, irredentist, and incompatible with EU values and the region’s European integration path.

EP rapporteur: “Serbian World” is dangerous for the European Union and the Balkans

Ethnic Albanian parties in North Macedonia, particularly the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), have warned that the government’s alleged tolerance of ‘Serbian World’ narratives and pro-Serbian initiatives poses a danger to the country’s sovereignty, inter-ethnic balance, and EU integration path.”

Is North Macedonia pushed toward ‘Serbian world’ instead of pursuing EU integration?

Context of the Ohrid Framework Agreement

Critics of the court ruling argue it erodes the gains of the Ohrid agreement, while supporters view the 2007 name changes as potentially unlawful overreach that the court correctly reversed on legal grounds.

The 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement ended a short armed conflict between government forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents. It established power-sharing, language rights, equitable representation, and decentralization to promote inclusion in a multi-ethnic state. International guarantors (EU and U.S.) backed it as a model for Balkan stability.

Albanian parties reacted strongly, calling the changes provocative. Macedonian voices, including government-aligned figures, defend it as upholding the rule of law and national symbols over what they see as post-conflict concessions. Broader tensions persist around minority language laws and public administration “balancers” for ethnic representation, some of which courts have also scrutinized.

Mickoski’s VMRO-DPMNE has a nationalist profile, focusing on Macedonian identity and EU accession with “dignity”, which in fact prevents the country from opening accession talks. Analysts note improved ties with Serbia under his government, including meetings with President Vučić and participation in regional initiatives. Accusations of “pro-Serbian” orientation lack concrete public evidence, but are confirmed by a policy that aligns with Belgrade’s interests.

Sorry to hear this. Knowing the role Yugoslav Army has played in war crimes against Croats, Bosnians and Albanians, this decision seems unnecessarily provocative. Also, in most of the democratic world, it’s municipalities who name municipal streets – not a Constitutional Court. https://t.co/t4i1N01FlP
— Petrit Selimi (@Petrit) June 26, 2026

Caption: Screenshot from video. Hundreds of Albanians protested in Tetovo, waving Albanian flags – and a U.S. flag – after the Constitutional Court of North Macedonia decided to restore the former Yugoslav-era names of several streets, replacing Albanian names. [@kos_data on X]