Macedonia adopts law to boost Albanian language status

Macedonian parliament on Wednesday passed a law bolstering official use of the Albanian language in the Balkan country, despite protests from the rightwing opposition who argue the move will endanger national unity. In the 120-seat parliament, 64 lawmakers voted to adopt the law, without a debate requested by the opposition, MIA news agency reported.
MPs from the rightwing opposition party, the VMRO-DPMNE, staged protests against the bill - which had already been passed in January, but was again put up for a vote after conservative President Gjorge Ivanov vetoed it. Under the Macedonian constitution, president must now sign it following the new vote. Outside the parliament building, a few hundred protestors demonstrated against the law, but the protests passed without incident, an AFP photographer reported. Macedonian is the primary official language used across the predominantly Slavic country.