Macedonian govt in crisis as Albanian party quits

By Kole Casule

SKOPJE (Reuters) - The main ethnic Albanian party in Macedonia's governing coalition quit on Thursday in a row over minority rights, plunging Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's 18-month old government into crisis.

The Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA) said it had pulled out over the government's failure to back laws allowing greater use of the Albanian language and flag, and to provide benefits for veterans of the 2001 Albanian guerrilla insurgency.

It was unclear whether Gruevski might seek new partners, or lead a minority government until at least after next month's NATO summit in Bucharest, where the former Yugoslav republic is bidding for an invitation to join the alliance.

The DPA decision ends Gruevski's slim parliamentary majority, but political sources said a snap election was unlikely to be called immediately.

Macedonia borders the newly independent Kosovo. It was rescued from all-out ethnic civil war in 2001 by NATO and European Union mediation, but the West watches warily for any sign of a resurgence of armed Albanian revolt.

"The decision is final and confirmed by our central committee, which from today is no longer a member of the coalition," DPA leader Menduh Thaci told reporters after the committee met for four hours.

Macedonia's prospects of joining NATO, a step that would keep it moving towards EU membership, are in doubt before the April 2-4 alliance summit at which southern neighbour Greece could veto its membership.

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