Following an initiative of the Macedonian World Congress and with the support of opposition parties, over 150,000 signatures were collected by 23 August supporting the initiative for calling the referendum at which citizens will voice their opinion on the new law which proposes the joining of several villages to the towns of Struga and Kicevo and to a part of the capital Skopje so as to enable local ethnic Albanians to become a majority in the re-organised territorial units in which they will be able to use their mother tongue.
Those opposing the reorganisation fear that the new territorial units will accelerate the process of Albanisation of the western part of Macedonia and ethnic cleansing of Macedonians, which will eventually lead to the partition of the country.
Opponents do not accept the argument of lawmakers that the reorganisation will be done in order to enable local Albanians to use the Albanian language. They claim that ethnic Albanians acquired the right to their mother tongue under the 1991 constitution.
A strong revolt against the said law has been evident in the town of Struga where local residents are threatening to establish their own republic in case of territorial changes. They have also banned the organisation of this year's international meeting of poets which has been traditionally held in Struga, so that this year the event will be hosted by Skopje and Ohrid.
Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Vlade Buckovski has said that the Macedonian parties in the ruling coalition will accept the referendum but that these parties -- Social Democratic Alliance and Liberal Democratic Party -- hope that the citizens will vote for the law. Ali Ahmeti, the leader of the Albanian party in the government, has warned that the possible revocation of the law would destabilise Macedonia and the entire region.