Does the ICG Support Albanian Expansionism?
One of the most ominous passages in the report is located on p. 2, fn. 6. It attempts to make some distinctions about Macedonia’s minority mess: “As ethnic Macedonians never cease pointing out, there are other ethnic groups in Macedonia besides the “big two.” However, Turks, Serbs and others make up barely a tenth of the total population, according to the 1994 census. As in other parts of the Balkans, these small minorities have no territorial claims and therefore, do not represent a prime source of conflict.” As there are so many unsubstantiated logical jumps in this paragraph, it is necessary to take apart each sentence. First of all, note the patronizing attitude of withering contempt at work here: “as ethnic Macedonians never cease pointing out…” The adjective “ethnic” has the implicit effect of demoting the Macedonians to (once again) second-class citizens in their own country. They further are made to seem like childish complainers, like bickering brats ever in need of supervisio
