Written by: Nehat Hyseni
The current situation in Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja cannot be understood solely through the results of local elections, the names of municipal mayors or periodic statements by politicians. It must be analysed as a complex problem involving institutional functionality, collective rights, economic development, education, political representation, and relations between local and central government.
These three municipalities, despite significant demographic, economic and political differences, constitute a distinct area of Albanian life in Serbia. Presheva and Bujanovac have Albanian majorities, while Medvegja represents the most sensitive case of demographic decline, emigration and weakening Albanian institutional presence. For this reason, their problems cannot be addressed through a single administrative formula.
In Presheva, the main challenge is to transform the demographic majority into effective governance, sustainable development, and full protection of linguistic and cultural rights.
In Bujanovac, the challenge concerns maintaining a balance between political representation, interethnic coexistence and economic development.
In Medvegja, the issue is even more existential: how to prevent the further emptying of Albanian-inhabited settlements and how to preserve the community’s identity, education and institutional presence.
Therefore, the fundamental question is not merely: Who governs the municipality? The more important question is: What is the administration producing for the citizen, the pupil, the family, the business and the future of this region?
An administration may be politically legitimate but weak in results. It may have a majority in the municipal assembly but lack the capacity to implement projects. It may maintain good relations with Belgrade but fail to use that channel to secure concrete rights. It may receive support from Prishtina and Tirana, but that support may not be translated into textbooks, investments, scholarships, employment and prospects.
This is the contradiction that requires serious analysis: political presence is not the same as institutional strength, while national rhetoric is not the same as the realisation of rights.
LOCAL ADMINISTRATION: POLITICAL LEGITIMACY MUST BE TRANSFORMED INTO RESULTS
The administrations of Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja operate within the legal system of the Republic of Serbia. They have responsibilities in important areas, including preschool and primary education within the competences defined by law, culture, sport, local infrastructure, municipal services, local economic development and support for public institutions. However, competences are insufficient if they are not accompanied by administrative capacity, professionalism, transparency and political accountability.
In practice, local administrations face several interconnected problems:
excessive dependence on transfers and funds from the central government;
a lack of professionally prepared projects;
slow administrative procedures;
the politicisation of employment and public institutions;
weaknesses in investment management;
insufficient transparency regarding expenditure;
the departure of young people and a lack of employment opportunities;
difficulties in coordination among municipalities; and
the absence of a common development strategy for the Valley.
These problems are not identical in all three municipalities, but they produce a common consequence: citizens experience the state through the service counter, the school, the road, the water supply, the sewage system, official documents, the health centre and the opportunity to find employment. If these services do not function, even the strongest national policy loses credibility in everyday life.
Presheva’s administration, as the largest Albanian centre in this area, should play a greater role in coordinating common interests. It cannot limit itself to managing day-to-day problems. It must build a development-oriented administration that prepares projects, seeks funding, measures results and reports publicly.
Bujanovac, with its more complex interethnic structure, needs an administration that transforms coexistence into institutional cooperation and shared development, rather than permanent political division.
Medvegja, meanwhile, requires special treatment. In a municipality where emigration and demographic decline are continuing concerns, every closed school, every departing family and every lost job has consequences far greater than a local statistic. There, the administration must also serve as an instrument of demographic survival and the preservation of identity.
ALBANIAN-LANGUAGE EDUCATION: A RIGHT THAT MUST NOT REMAIN A PROMISE
Education in the Albanian language is one of the fundamental pillars of the institutional existence of Albanians in Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja. It is not merely a matter of the language of instruction. It is a matter of civic equality, cultural identity, educational quality, the prospects of young people and the continuity of the community.
If an Albanian child learns in their mother tongue but does not have complete textbooks, appropriate teaching materials, laboratories, libraries, specialised classrooms, regular transport and professionally supported teachers, then the formal right has not yet been transformed into a fully realised material right.
This is precisely where one of the greatest problems of education in the Valley lies: the difference between what is guaranteed by law and what is actually realised in the classroom.
According to data published by the Coordination Body of the Government of Serbia, the procedure for approving textbooks in minority languages is based on Serbian laws governing the education system, textbooks and national minority councils. For primary education, the institution states that 88 textbooks and workbooks in the Albanian language have been approved; some are translations from Serbian, some come from the Republic of Albania, while others have been prepared by authors from Bujanovac and Presheva.
This is important information, but it should not be interpreted as proof that every pupil, in every class and for every subject, received the textbooks on time. The number of approved textbooks is not the same as the number of textbooks distributed. Nor is the official catalogue identical to the actual situation in schools.
For the 2026/2027 school year, Serbia’s Ministry of Education published the catalogue of textbooks in the languages of national minorities, including supplements to the catalogue for the current school year. However, based on the publicly verified information, it cannot responsibly be claimed that all Albanian-language textbooks for all grades and subjects have been secured and delivered in all three municipalities.
This is precisely the issue that requires a separate, updated and verifiable report.
The accurate answer to the question “Have the textbooks been secured?” is:
A considerable number of Albanian-language textbooks have been approved and are available, while institutions have taken steps to supply pupils. However, there is insufficient public evidence to declare that the problem has been fully resolved for every grade, subject and school in Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja.
This is not a diplomatic answer. It is an institutional answer. Because in a matter of such importance, neither the propaganda of success nor the rhetoric of total failure can replace verification.
FREE SCHOOLBAGS ARE NOT THE SAME AS SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS!
At the beginning of the 2026/2027 school year, the Coordination Body’s Service announced that it had secured free schoolbags and school supplies for all first-grade pupils in Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja. 3,200,000 dinars were allocated for this activity.
This is a positive measure, particularly for low-income families. But a clear distinction must be made: schoolbags and school supplies are not textbooks. They may help pupils begin the school year, but they do not resolve the problems of translating, approving, printing, distributing and using textbooks for all subjects.
A serious education policy must be measured through concrete questions:
How many textbooks are approved for each grade?
How many have been printed in sufficient quantities?
How many have been delivered to schools?
Which subjects have shortages?
Are unofficially translated materials still being used?
Are textbooks adapted to the curricula of Kosovo or Albania where necessary?
Do teachers have teaching aids and training in the Albanian language?
Are there differences among Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja?
These questions should be answered by school administrations, parents’ councils, teachers, municipal education directorates, the Albanian National Council and Serbia’s Ministry of Education.
If a textbook has been approved but cannot be found on the pupil’s desk, then the problem is no longer merely legal; it is administrative and political.
SECONDARY AND UNIVERSITY EDUCATION: THE WEAK LINK IN PREPARING YOUNG PEOPLE
The textbook problem is not limited to primary education. It also extends to secondary education, where the need for Albanian-language textbooks is particularly acute. In September 2026, meetings concerning the situation of Albanians in southern Serbia emphasised the importance of ensuring the timely provision of Albanian-language textbooks for secondary-school pupils.
This demonstrates that the issue must not be treated as a closed matter. On the contrary, it requires multi-year planning, because translating secondary-school textbooks is more complex, while their absence directly affects the quality of preparation for university and the labour market.
In higher education, the Coordination Body has reported that it has supported the translation of university textbooks into Albanian for Albanian students, including materials for university programmes in Bujanovac and Medvegja. These initiatives are useful, but they must be viewed as part of a broader system.
A community cannot build its future merely by securing textbooks for primary school. It needs:
quality secondary education;
career guidance;
scholarships;
preparation for university;
recognition and nostrification of diplomas;
links with the labour market; and
opportunities that do not force young people to leave.
Education is the most powerful demographic policy. When schools function well, families have more reasons to stay. When schools weaken, emigration accelerates.
THE ALBANIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL: AN INDISPENSABLE INSTITUTION, BUT WITHOUT SUFFICIENT POWER TO ACT
The Albanian National Council has a specific role in protecting and developing the rights of Albanians in the fields of education, culture, information and the official use of the language. It is an important institution of collective representation and cannot be replaced by political parties, municipalities, or the governments of Kosovo and Albania.
However, the legal existence of an institution does not automatically guarantee its effectiveness.
The Council must be:
professional in policy preparation;
transparent in decision-making;
open to teachers and experts;
capable of preparing documented reports;
present in negotiations with Serbian institutions; and
accountable to the citizens it represents.
In September 2026, within the framework of meetings aimed at improving the position of Albanians, the need for institutional dialogue between the Albanian National Council and the state authorities of Serbia was emphasised. In an official announcement, the Coordination Body’s Service stated that it was prepared to organise a meeting between Council representatives and the Minister for Human and Minority Rights, Demo Berisha.
On the other hand, the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue stated that the Albanian National Council had not been willing to cooperate with the ministry.
These are official positions of the parties, not an uncontestable truth. For this reason, it is necessary for the Albanian public to know:
What are the Council’s concrete demands?
What are Belgrade’s responses?
Are there official minutes of the meetings?
Which agreements have been implemented?
Which have been blocked?
Who is responsible for the delays?
And, above all, what does the citizen gain?
A boycott of dialogue may be a political instrument, but it cannot become a permanent strategy. If an institution disagrees with the government, it should document its disagreement, publish it and seek mediation. But it must also preserve channels of communication, because without dialogue there are no agreements; without agreements there is no implementation; and without implementation there is no improvement in citizens’ position.
The Albanian National Council must be an institution of rights, not an arena of party rivalries!
RELATIONS WITH BELGRADE: FROM POLITICAL CONFRONTATION TO MEASURABLE NEGOTIATION
Relations with the Government of Serbia are among the principal factors determining the situation of Albanians in the Valley.
These relations cannot be reduced to two extremes: neither political submission nor the rejection of every form of cooperation.
A mature approach should be based on the principle:
Rights are not requested as favours; they are demanded as legal obligations, while development is negotiated as a shared interest.
Belgrade has clear responsibilities for implementing laws, respecting minority rights and ensuring the functioning of public institutions. But local government also has clear responsibilities for preparing projects, managing funds, implementing procedures and reporting on results.
In September 2026, meetings between the Coordination Body and representatives of municipalities and Albanian institutions included education, textbooks and other issues concerning the position of Albanians in southern Serbia.
This shows that institutional channels exist. But the main question is: Are they producing lasting results, or merely repeated statements?
The answer must be sought through concrete indicators:
How much funding has been allocated?
How many projects have been completed?
How many jobs have been created?
How many textbooks have been secured?
How many institutions have been equipped?
How many requests concerning the official use of the Albanian language have been resolved?
How many previous agreements have been implemented?
Without these data, relations with Belgrade remain dependent on rhetoric.
THE SEVEN-POINT PLAN: FROM A POLITICAL DOCUMENT TO AN IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISM
The seven-point plan for improving the position of Albanians in Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja has been a reference point in the Valley’s political discourse. But every plan, however important, risks becoming symbolic if it lacks:
clear deadlines;
designated institutional responsibilities;
a budget;
a monitoring mechanism;
periodic reports;
public transparency; and
political consequences for non-implementation.
A plan must not remain merely a document produced at meetings. It must be transformed into a matrix of responsibility.
For example, if the improvement of Albanian-language education is demanded, it must be specified who is responsible for textbooks, who for translations, who for approval, who for printing and who for distribution. If economic development is demanded, it must be specified which projects, which funds and which deadlines are involved.
Without this clarity, every party can claim that it has made efforts, while the citizen remains without results!
RELATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF KOSOVO: STRATEGIC SUPPORT, BUT NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY!
Kosovo has a natural political, national and moral role in supporting Albanians in Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja.
This support is connected with history, language, families, education, culture and the shared interests of Albanians.
But the relationship with Prishtina must be more than symbolic. It should be transformed into a structured partnership, with projects, budgets and results.
Kosovo can help with:
securing and adapting school textbooks;
teacher training;
scholarships for students;
supporting libraries and cultural institutions;
digitising education;
university cooperation;
developing agriculture and small enterprises;
supporting healthcare services; and
promoting the interests of the Valley in international forums.
But Kosovo cannot replace local administration. It cannot manage municipalities from Prishtina. It cannot replace the responsibility of mayors, municipal assemblies, directorates and local institutions.
Support from Kosovo should strengthen local capacities, not create new political dependencies.
At the same time, Prishtina should avoid using the Valley merely as a topic of daily politics. The Albanians of these municipalities need a stable, coordinated and institutional policy, regardless of changes in government.
RELATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ALBANIA: DIPLOMACY, EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
The Republic of Albania has an important role in supporting Albanians in Serbia, particularly through diplomacy, education, culture and economic cooperation.
Tirana should use its diplomatic instruments to demand respect for the rights of Albanians, but it should also develop a more concrete policy in the field of education.
The translation and adaptation of textbooks from Albania can be an important form of assistance, but this must be done in cooperation with the competent institutions of Serbia, the Albanian National Council and schools.
It is not enough to send books. It must be ensured that they:
correspond to the curricula;
are approved according to the relevant procedures;
are used in classrooms; and
meet the real needs of pupils.
Albania can also contribute to:
teacher training;
university exchanges;
school publications;
cultural development;
supporting Albanian-language media; and
promoting products from the Valley in the Albanian market.
Nevertheless, an important principle must also be maintained here:
Support from Tirana must not replace Belgrade’s responsibility for the rights of the Albanian minority!
PRESHEVA: GREAT POTENTIAL AND GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
Presheva has the greatest potential to become the centre of economic, educational and cultural development in this area.
But this potential will not be realised by itself.
The municipality needs an integrated strategy linking:
the industrial zone;
agriculture;
trade;
tourism;
vocational education;
infrastructure; and
cross-border cooperation.
An industrial zone without investors, infrastructure and professional management remains merely a space on a map.
A water-supply project without sustainable maintenance is not a complete solution. A town centre without an urban plan, maintenance and vision does not automatically create development.
Presheva must move from a policy of isolated projects to a policy of interconnected development.
This requires an administration capable of designing projects, applying for European funds, cooperating with donors and reporting on every dinar spent.
BUJANOVAC: COEXISTENCE MUST BE TRANSFORMED INTO A DEVELOPMENT FORCE
Bujanovac is a municipality where interethnic relations have particular importance. But coexistence must not be limited to ceremonial statements. It must be visible in:
fair representation;
equal use of languages;
equal access to services;
employment;
education;
economic development; and
respect for local institutions.
A good model of coexistence is not one in which communities merely tolerate one another. It is one in which they cooperate on common interests while preserving their identities.
Bujanovac can become an example of an administration where diversity is not an obstacle but a source of development. But this requires politics not to use ethnic affiliation as a permanent instrument of conflict.
MEDVEGJA: THE QUESTION OF IDENTITY, SCHOOLING AND REMAINING IN ONE’S HOMELAND
Medvegja is perhaps the most painful example of the demographic crisis in the Valley.
There, the Albanian issue cannot be treated solely as a problem of political representation. It is also a question of the survival of the community.
In an environment where the population is declining, the school becomes a central institution of social life. Every classroom, every teacher and every pupil has extraordinary importance.
The fact that, in September 2026, the Coordination Body secured schoolbags and school supplies for first-grade pupils in Medvegja is positive, but it should be viewed as part of a broader policy for preserving education and local life.
Medvegja needs:
special support for families;
school transport;
scholarships;
investment in schools;
programmes encouraging young people to return and remain;
rural development;
infrastructure; and
support for preserving the Albanian language and culture.
If sustainable policies are not implemented, the risk is not merely the loss of a number of inhabitants. The risk is the loss of an entire social ecosystem.
THE ABSENCE OF A COMMON STRATEGY FOR THE VALLEY
One of the greatest weaknesses of Albanian politics in these three municipalities is the absence of a common, measurable and long-term strategy.
Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja have differences, but they also share common interests:
Albanian-language education;
the official use of the language;
economic development;
infrastructure;
healthcare;
the protection of identity;
relations with Belgrade; and
cooperation with Kosovo and Albania.
For this reason, a Coordinating Council of Albanian Municipalities is needed. It would not replace the municipalities, political parties or the Albanian National Council, but would serve as a common mechanism for:
defining priorities;
preparing projects;
coordinating with Belgrade;
cooperating with Prishtina and Tirana;
monitoring the implementation of agreements; and
publishing annual reports.
Such a mechanism would help avoid fragmentation and increase the negotiating power of local institutions.
WHAT MUST BE DONE NOW – A NEW AGENDA FOR INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY IS NEEDED
To overcome stagnation, a concrete agenda is required.
First: A public report on Albanian-language education. A complete table should be published showing approved, printed, distributed and missing textbooks, by grade, subject and municipality.
Second: A joint mechanism for textbooks. The Albanian National Council, municipal education directorates, schools and Serbian institutions should establish a permanent working group for Albanian-language textbooks.
Third: Annual municipal reports. Each municipality should publish a report on investments, employment, education, infrastructure, services and funds received from Belgrade, Prishtina, Tirana and donors.
Fourth: Professionalisation of the administration. Recruitment should be based on competence, while public institutions should have staff capable of preparing and managing projects.
Fifth: A strategy for young people. Scholarships, vocational education, internships, employment and support for start-ups should form part of a single policy.
Sixth: Institutional dialogue with Belgrade. Dialogue should be documented, with concrete demands, deadlines and monitoring mechanisms.
Seventh: A structured partnership with Kosovo and Albania. Support should be channelled into measurable projects, not merely political statements.
Eighth: The inclusion of civil society and experts. Universities, teachers, parents, businesses and professional organisations should participate in policymaking.
CONCLUSION
The current situation in Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja requires a change in the way political thinking is approached!
It is no longer enough to say that Albanians have or do not have rights.
It must be demonstrated that those rights are realised in the school, the administration, the court, the hospital, the service counter and the labour market.
It is not enough to say that the municipalities have Albanian majorities. It must be demonstrated that these majorities produce good governance, development and well-being.
It is not enough to say that Belgrade must respect Albanians. Measurable results, documented agreements and the implementation of obligations must be demanded.
It is not enough to say that Prishtina and Tirana stand alongside the Valley. Sustainable mechanisms of support must be built.
And it is not enough for the Albanian National Council to exist. It must be strong in argument, professional in action, transparent in decision-making and capable of defending Albanian interests through institutional means.
The answer to the Valley’s crisis is neither surrender nor isolation. It is organisation, professionalism, cooperation and institutional perseverance.
Presheva, Bujanovac and Medvegja cannot survive solely through the memory of the past!
They must build a future in which Albanian-language education is a complete reality, administration serves the citizen, the economy creates jobs, and relations with Belgrade, Prishtina and Tirana produce results.
Because the future of Albanians in the Valley is determined not only by what politicians declare, but by what institutions manage to do for the citizen.
Verified official sources cited in this article
2025/2026: The Coordination Body reports 88 approved textbooks and workbooks for primary education in the Albanian language.
2026/2027: The Ministry of Education published the catalogue and supplements to the catalogue of textbooks in the languages of national minorities.
September 2026: The Government of Serbia stated that the issue of Albanian-language textbooks, particularly for secondary education, remains part of institutional discussions.
1–2 September 2026: Free schoolbags and school supplies were secured for first-grade pupils in all three municipalities, but this does not demonstrate that all textbooks have been secured.
Therefore, it would be appropriate and necessary for the Albanian National Council or the municipal education directorates to provide an updated table for the 2026/2027 school year. This would allow the general analysis to be transformed into direct documentation of the real situation in the Presheva Valley.
Presheva, 15 September 2026
