ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

Fadil Sulejmani, rector of the ethnic Albanian University of Tetovo, Macedonia is in custody facing charges of incitement to resist the police that carry a prison sentence of between one and five years. Four other members of the university's governing body face criminal charges. On the advice of ethnic Albanian political leaders, tuition has been halted at the new university, whose existence, say the Macedonian authorities, contravenes the constitution.

With Dr Sulejmani in gaol, his pro-rector, Murtezan Ismaili, has appealed to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, recalling that the Geneva peace conference on former Yugoslavia had focused on the issue of mother-tongue higher education for ethnic Albanians. The OSCE high commissioner for minorities has met Macedonian president Kiro Gligorov and foreign minister Stevo Crvenkovski and leaders of the ethnic Albanian Party for Democratic Prosperity.

Following this meeting, the high commissioner urged that the issue of the university should be discussed "within a framework of preparations for a law on university studies." "It is impossible to force the question of a university with illegal means," he said.

The PDP leaders suggested to the high commissioner that "an atmosphere of understanding" could be created by releasing Dr Sulejmani, and allowing the university to function unhindered.

The Macedonian authorities, however, continue to insist that the university must be suppressed, while the Albanian community leaders say that they will never "abandon" it.

A protest rally of 2,000 Macedonian students from the universities of Skopje and Manastirwas was held at the parliament building in Skopje.