The French finally understood why "Great Albania" is DANGEROUS: The greatest analysis that is shaking up Balkans

Former Albanian Foreign Minister Besnik Mustafaj provoked a real confusion when he declared: If Kosovo is divided, we will not be able to guarantee the Kosovo border with Albania, as well as the border with the Albanian part of Macedonia. The new status of Kosovo has again raised the issue of the borders in the Balkans and no one can predict the future of the events for sure, the French "Le Monde diplomatique" writes, and "Nedeljnik" reports.

What does the European Union say about the conflict between Serbia and Macedonia?

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In the evening of May 21, on the day of the referendum for the independence of Montenegro, in Ulcinj, the southernmost city of the Montenegrin coast, Montenegrin and Albanian flags flourished alongside each other. Montenegro owes its independence largely to the votes of national minorities: fifty thousand Albanians in this small country have long been citizens of Montenegro. 

For Ibrahim Cungu, the former police chief for Ulcinj and the local leader of the Social Democratic Party, "it is possible to be an Albanian and a citizen of Montenegro".

Foto: Profimedia/Alamy

However, Montenegrin Albanians are an exception in the Balkans. In Macedonia, Albanians and Macedonians do not trust one another. Political and cultural rights of Albanians are recognized, and with the Ohrid Agreement from August 2001, the violent conflict between Macedonian security forces and the Albanian National Liberation Army has ended.

Like the Macedonian Slavs, the Albanians today have the status of the "second constituent people" of the Macedonian republic. Albanian is the second official language in each municipality where Albanians account for over 20% of the total population.

- Prior to 2001, Albanian high school students hardly enrolled in faculties, but the situation was improved in the meantime - says Afrim Kerimi, principal of the Albanian high school in Kumanovo.

Foto: Tanjug/AP

However, not all the wounds have healed from 2001 conflict. Many are still disappointed by the peace agreement, and the guerrilla fighters have itchy fingers once again. 

The elastic amnesty policy further stimulates hatred; In such a context, it is not surprising that small guerrilla groups are continually appearing, often in relation to criminal formations. One such group was formed in 2003 by Avdil Jakupi, better known as "Chakal Commander"; Second, under the leadership of Agim Krasniqi, occupied the village of Kondovo not far from Skopje for six months in 2004.

The Albanians from the Presevo Valley are not satisfied with the outcome of peace. They want to take part in negotiations over Kosovo because they are afraid that they would otherwise be pushed aside in the event of a regional agreement.

Foto: Tanjug/AP

The Albanian Guerrilla Movement originated in Macedonia and the Presevo Valley in 2001 because of Kosovo. Stimulating local conflicts, fighters and supporters of the idea of Greater Albania had the goal of reminding the world that the status of an international protectorate did not solve the Kosovo issue. If the future decisions of the international community do not coincide with the interests of these actors, it will not be difficult for them to light up the whole region again.

The Albanian national movement developed only in the late 19th century, that is, much later than the peoples of the surrounding countries. After the Balkan wars of 1912-1913, Kosovo was divided between Serbia and Montenegro, and Serbia got a large part of today's Macedonia. The London Treaty created a "small Albania" roughly in the territory of today's Albania, but at the same time omitted many Albanians from the new state.

There are two different currents of Albanian nationalism: one stands for the Great and the other for ethnic Albania.

Great Albania includes various areas that were once inhabited by Albanians or their ancestors Illyrians. On the other hand, ethnic Albania refers to the territories where Albanians are the majority population.

Nationalists often foresee an important factor in all of this, and that is, others, along with Albanians, live in those parts.

After the dangerous ambitions of Greater Serbia and Greater Croatia, did the time come for Greater Albania? A series of radical, though marginal combat groups, openly advocate it, even though they do not have significant public support. There is still great distrust between Albania and Albanians from the territory of the former Yugoslavia since history has separated them for a long time.

Foto: Profimedia/AFP

The only answer to the challenge of Greater Albania is, as in the case of European integration. The perspective of national unification that opens the issue of border change is potentially dangerous for the entire region, although the problem of national, cross-border "Albania" is certainly no less realistic.

It should be enabled for anyone who writes in Albanian to address potential readers in Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo. Also, Albanian students should be free to choose whether to study in Tirana, Tetovo or Pristina. In order for all this to be possible, the boundaries will still have to be much more open than today, according to Jean-Anne Deransan and Loren Geslin's analysis.

(Telegraf.co.uk / Le Monde diplomatique / Nedeljnik)