Strasbourg, 29/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - With the unanimous adoption of a resolution on the situation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe firmly condemns the action of ethnic Albanian extremist groups, and calls on them to hand in their weapons. It invites the Macedonian government to: - take urgent measures to authorise the use of the Albanian language in the administration, courts and secondary and higher education; - open the university of Tetovo; - ensure that the ethnic Albanians are adequately represented in the institutions and public enterprises, the police and the armed forces; - limit recourse to force and engage in political dialogue; grant amnesty to certain rebels and ensure effective protection of all citizens; - ratify the European Charter of Regional Languages and modify the Constitution. The Member States of the Council of Europe are invited to ban the financing of extremist groups and to freeze their bank accounts.
In order to ensure the follow-up of the situation in Macedonia, the Assembly also decided to form an ad hoc committee that will soon go to the country and will report during its September session.