VALEN Accused of Dodging Ethnic Credibility Debate with Personal Attacks

The simmering political rivalry in North Macedonia’s Albanian community has taken a sharp turn, with the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) launching a blistering critique against the opposition VALEN coalition. In a statement issued on Thursday, DUI leaders accused VALEN of resorting to “slander and baseless accusations” as a deliberate tactic to conceal what they describe as a fundamental lack of ethnic legitimacy.

The DUI, which has long positioned itself as the primary defender of Albanian rights in the country, claimed that VALEN’s recent attacks are an admission of weakness. “They have no program, no vision, and no real connection to the Albanian electorate’s core interests,” a DUI spokesperson argued. “Instead of engaging in a substantive debate about the future of the Albanian people in North Macedonia, they choose to spread untruths about our party.”

This exchange underscores the deepening fractures within the Albanian political bloc ahead of upcoming local elections. DUI maintains that its decades-long track record in government, including key provisions for the Albanian language and community representation, gives it an unassailable ethnic mandate. Conversely, the party claims that VALEN, a newer alliance of smaller parties and civil society figures, lacks the historical governance experience and the grassroots network necessary to truly advocate for the community.

The allegations of “slander” come as VALEN has pressed for greater accountability and transparency from the ruling structures. However, DUI has dismissed these calls as a smokescreen. “When you have no ethnic credentials to stand on, you attack the character of those who do,” the spokesperson added. As both sides prepare for a heated campaign season, the battle lines are now clearly drawn, with DUI betting that its legacy will outweigh the opposition’s calls for reform. Political analysts note that the outcome will likely determine the future direction of Albanian political representation in the country.