Gollobordë

The Bulgarian-Macedonian dispute is also being carried over to Albania. Another misunderstanding arises over the possible separation of two regions in Albania - Golo Bardo (Gollobordë) and Gora, into separate municipalities, reports BNT. The Bulgarian minority, recognized by the Parliament in Tirana in 2017, is concentrated in these areas.

Trebisht in northeastern Albania looks like a ghost village, emptied of its residents by a rush to get Bulgarian passports that open the door to the European Union, AFP reported.
Arman Kadriu has an Albanian name, but the 12-year-old boy says he considers himself Bulgarian.

A month ago, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Albania, which included a text, put forward by Bulgarian MEPs Andrey Kovatchev and Angel Dzhambazki, reaffirming the rights of the Bulgarian population in Mala Prespa, Golo Brdo and Gora.

The European Parliament has called on Albania to make sure the rights of all minorities - and specifically ethnic Bulgarians - are safeguarded and legally enshrined.

A European Parliament document calling on Albania to recognize a Bulgarian minority and legally enshrine its rights has prompted a harsh response in Macedonian media.

Macedonian news website Dnevnik.mk has described the EP move as "surprising".

Bulgarian MEPs are pushing for the rights of Bulgarians allegedly living in eastern Albania to get onto the European agenda.

The issue of the community - whose existence Albania disputes - has been included in the European Parliament draft resolution on Albania, scheduled for debate on February 14, on the demand of Bulgarian MEPs.