Dimitri Pandovski from Korça: "We are Bulgarians and nothing else!" ‎

Interview with the chairman of the Society for Bulgarian-Albanian Friendship ‎

published on 3/5/24 10:12 AM

Photo: Krasimir Martinov, BNR

Along with the historical-geographic regions of Gora and Golo Bardo, the south-eastern part of Albania also has a compactly preserved Bulgarian population. Although economic migration in recent years has had its negative impact here, the Bulgarians in the Mala Prespa region (the western shore of Lake Prespa) continue to preserve their traditions and culture. ‎

People like Dimitri Pandovski, chairman of the Society for Bulgarian-Albanian Friendship, located in the city of Korça, play a huge role in protecting the national identity. ‎With tireless work and enthusiasm Dimitri continues the deed of his father - Nikola Pandovski:

"We created the Society for Bulgarian-Albanian Friendship and we are working to preserve our culture, traditions and national identity in the Korca region", Dimitri Pandovski begins his story. "We organize various events related to the customs and holidays of Bulgaria, discussions on historical topics and round tables dedicated to personalities from Bulgarian history.

We also have Sunday schools. We seek and find support for activities such as the already repaired road to one of the villages, the project to renew the old fountains and the fence of the cemetery park in the village of Vrabnik. The cemetery of the village actually stores the written testimonies of our Bulgarian origin. On the old memorial tablets the inscriptions are written in Bulgarian. And this must be preserved.” ‎

The road to the village of Vrabnik

The people of Korča are also among the main activists in the process of recognition of the Bulgarian national minority in Albania, crowned with success in 2017, says our interlocutor:‎

‎"Our issue also reached Prime Minister Edi Rama. We gave him all the documents proving our origin. And in the parliament "for" the recognition of our minority there were 112 deputies out of a total of 120 who participated in the vote. In the documents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Albania, as early as 1921, it was recorded that there was a small Bulgarian minority in Albania.

The old books - a testimony to the history of Bulgarians in Albania

We also showed documents from 1935, from the time of Ahmet Zogu (former head of state and first king of Albania - Zog the First, who ruled from 1928 to 1939), who recognized the legitimacy of 10,966 Bulgarians, with an inventory of the areas in which they lived. One of the characteristics of our Bulgarians in this part of Albania is that they were among the most educated, enjoyed social respect and belonged to the country's intellectual elite. And today this continues. After graduating from Bulgarian Sunday schools, our children go and continue their education in Bulgaria."

The church in the village of Vrabnik

Bulgarians in Albania are also looking forward to the results of the 2023 population census.

"And if we reach 20% in the region of Mala Prespa, the Bulgarian language will become official (i.e. in documents, on signs in settlements, it will be possible to study it in Albanian schools), says Dimitri Pandovski. "Young people will integrate much faster in Europe and will say they are Bulgarian wherever they are in the world. That way they will be able to take matters into their own hands and prosper."

When we ask him what message he wants to send to the Bulgarians in Bulgaria, he quite frankly states:

"Bulgarians in Bulgaria know very well about us. The parliamentarians don't know us. They must wake up and understand that we here protect our Bulgarian roots. We do not want demagoguery, I want concrete work. This is the only way Bulgarians living in Albania can be convinced of Bulgaria's good intentions. Therefore, much more should be spoken about us, more media should come and tell our stories so that it can be made known that we are Bulgarians and nothing else."