FYROM President Refuses Again To Sign Bill Boosting Albanian Language

Macedonian (FYROM) President Gjorge Ivanov has refused for a second time to sign legislation passed by the parliament to expand official use of the Albanian language, in a move that could set off a renewed political crisis in the small Balkan nation.

The parliament was forced to approve the legislation for a second time on March 14, in the face of protests both inside and outside the building, because Ivanov refused to sign it in January.

"The constitution and my conscience do not permit me to sign a decree approving such a law," Ivanov, a close ally of the conservative opposition party VMRO-DPMNE, said in a video distributed after the parliamentary vote late on March 14.

"The law on languages is unjust and repressive, and it favors only one language," he said. "A law that had no debate on amendments…cannot be considered an expression of democracy," he said.