This conclusion, which we do not know how it is reached and for which there is no real evidence, is sensationalistic and spreads xenophobia and intolerance. A post with this title has anti-immigrant rhetoric and encourages intolerance on ethnic and religious grounds. Moreover, the text itself does not contain absolutely anything that is claimed in the title, nor is there any confirmation that the Albanians are really in fear, writes Truthmeter.mk.
Under the syndicating agreement between Truthmeter.mk and Meta.mk, we republish the text below:
The Facebook post shares an informative text about the government’s decision to help Ukraine after the Russian invasion, but with a xenophobic and sensationalist headline that spreads panic and lacks context.
Albanians in fear? Thousands of Orthodox Ukrainians will arrive in Macedonia, the headline reads.
The government has decided to send a donation to Ukraine and that is all the information in the government statement. As part of the government decisions, there is no official information about the acceptance of refugees or any request from Ukraine for our country to accept refugees.
What is also incorrectly concluded is that the second largest ethnic community in our country is in fear of accepting refugees.
This conclusion, which we do not know how it is reached and for which there is no real evidence, is sensationalistic and spreads xenophobia and intolerance. A post with this title has anti-immigrant rhetoric and encourages intolerance on ethnic and religious grounds. Moreover, the text itself does not contain absolutely anything that is claimed in the title, nor is there any confirmation that the Albanians are really in fear.
To claim that the Albanians in Macedonia are in fear because the state will accept Orthodox refugees is beyond any logic and the sole purpose of such claims is to cause discord in society and spread panic on social networks.
Macedonia is a multiethnic society where people belong to different religions and have different ethnicities. Ethnic Albanians have been living with ethnic Macedonians, who are Orthodox, for years and do not live in constant fear due to this fact. Such illogical claims are only intended to cause fear among the population and to encourage the spread of hate speech on social networks to both ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians, but also to people in Ukraine who are forced to leave their homes and become refugees due to a war they certainly did not want.
The spread of such unfounded panic and xenophobia runs counter to the basic moral principles of solidarity with those who are disadvantaged and whose lives and livelihoods are directly endangered.
In times of war, when every country should show solidarity with innocent civilians whose lives are in danger, such announcements are harmful to society and show intolerance.
The country has not yet made any official decision on accepting refugees from Ukraine. In case such a decision is made, it will be an act of solidarity, humanity and altruism.
Since its independence, our country has repeatedly shown its hospitality, humanity and protection of refugees from the surrounding regions, until conditions are created for their return to their countries of origin.
N. Macedonia is part of all key international or regional instruments for the protection of refugees and foreigners.
Given all of the above, we assess that the post lacks context, especially since the title that is being spread on social networks does not correspond at all with the published content.
