In the presence of a large number of guests and residents of Pustec municipality, the 30th anniversary of the first issue of the Macedonian newspaper "Prespa" was marked.
The editor Eftim Mitrevski spoke about the three-decade existence of the newspaper, the beginnings and the problems faced by the editorial office of the newspaper. The ceremony was attended by the Macedonian ambassador in Tirana Dancho Markovski, the mayor of Pustec Pali Kolefski, the son of the famous writer Sterjo Spase, Ilinden Spase, the president of the Macedonian party MAEI, Vasil Sterjovski and the mayor of Kumanovo Maksim Dimitrievski.
Those present were greeted by Vasil Sterjovski on behalf of the only Macedonian party in Albania, the Macedonian Alliance for European Integration (MAEI).
"Today is a day to celebrate for Macedonians in Albania. Today is the 30th anniversary of the founding of the first printed newspaper in the Macedonian language in Albania, the "Prespa" newspaper. "A newspaper founded by Spase Mazenkovski and who incorporated himself into the newspaper until the day he left us too soon, on May 30, 2018, leaving indelible traces in the history of Macedonians in Albania," he said.
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According to him, the newspaper "Prespa" connected its fate and life with the life and fate of the Macedonians in Albania and managed to become the voice of the Macedonians in the Republic of Albania. In the past 30 years, "Prespa" has covered topics from all areas of the life of Macedonians in Albania, making a great contribution to recording and overcoming a large number of issues of interest to Macedonians.
"It is the newspaper we grew up with." Each issue of the newspaper "Prespa" was eagerly awaited by the readership, regardless of age. The history of the newspaper "Prespa" is the history of the Macedonian people in Albania. This newspaper, which was the first newspaper in the Macedonian language for the Macedonians in Albania, had great significance for the protection of the Macedonian culture, tradition and identity of the Macedonians in Albania. "He not only informed us with the latest news and information from the Macedonian community, but also emphasized the importance of our culture and identity in Albanian society," Sterjovski pointed out.
He said that the Macedonians in Albania faced many challenges in the past years, but "Prespa" was a wonderful source of support and inspiration. This newspaper, as he said, gave us a voice, and helped us Macedonians in Albania to hear and understand each other. "To survive for 30 years without any financial support from the state institutions of Albania, through all the challenges that the Macedonians in Albania have gone through and are still going through, and together with them Prespa, is a really big and responsible thing, and for that we should we would like to thank everyone who contributed to this newspaper not going out of business. Congratulations to the editor-in-chief Eftim Mitrevski and the entire editorial staff of the "Prespa" newspaper. Let's celebrate many more anniversaries of "Prespa" and let's all together continue to maintain this Macedonian brand in Albania", wished Sterjovski.
The mayor of the municipality of Kumanovo, Maksim Dimitrievski from Mala Prespa, said that Macedonia must take more care of its citizens outside the country's borders. He assessed that our state is obliged to help and that he, as a local authority, will find a way for a higher level of cooperation with the local authorities here as soon as possible, and he will also expect certain ideas that will arrive from them.
"But what I will say about the Macedonians here, I am simply impressed by their commitment to preserving Macedonianism in these areas, and I welcome that. Many people from Macedonia can learn from them," said Dimitrievski.
The guests, representatives of Pustec Municipality and members of the newspaper's editorial staff toured the museum dedicated to Sterjo Spase in his native village Globočani.
