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Among
the
Macedonians
in
Mala
Prespa:
"Come
more
often,
do
not
forget
us"
Reality
Macedonia
(Sep
28,
2004) (RM)
- The
truck
with
5
tones
of
clothes,
shoes,
personal
hygiene
items
and
books
arrived
in
the
region
of
Mala
Prespa,
in
the
village
of
Dolna
Gorica,
Albania.
The
locals
were
surprised
because
they
did
not
expect
such
a
big
donation,
allocated
for
the
nine
villages
in
the
region
in
which
live
Macedonians.
The
boxes
and
bags
were
unloaded
in
the
primary
school,
but
the
teachers
were
confronted
with
a
"small"
problem
because
they
did
not
have
big
enough
room
to
accommodate
them.
The
locals
are
saying
that
they
are
happy
for
months
at
a
time
because
of
Macedonian
donations
which
arrive
2-3
times
a
year.
"Welcome,"
was
the
greeting
word
from
the
teachers
and
the
school
principal,
but
they
said
"you
should
come
more
often,
do
not
forget
us".
"The
teachers
from
Mala
Prespa
should
participate
in
projects
and
seminars
in
Macedonia
for
training
of
educational
staff.
That
is
what
is
necessary
right
now,"
says
Ivan
Terpo,
the
school
principal
in
Dolna
Gorica.
The
village
school
was
build
2-3
years
ago.
The
students
do
not
have
a
gymnasium,
so
they
do
their
physical
education
at
the
field
across.
There
are
around
130
kids
from
the
villages
of
Dolna
and
Gorna
Gorica
and
from
Tuminec
who
study
in
the
primary
school
"Otpor
na
Goriceni"
(Resistance
of
the
people
from
Gorica).The
first
graders
study
together
with
third
graders
and
the
second
graders
together
with
fourth
graders.
The
lectures
in
first
to
fourth
grade
are
held
in
Macedonian,
and
from
fifth
to
eight
grades
are
held
in
Albanian.
The
more
prosperous
villagers
are
sending
their
kids
to
study
in
Resen
and
Bitola.
"The
elders
are
telling
that
in
1933,
some
bey
[Ottoman
nobility
rank,
equivalent
of
a
baron]
started
to
expel
the
villagers
from
Dolna
Gorica.
That
lasted
for
years
because
they
resisted
strongly,
however
at
the
end
they
had
to
escape
to
Rosoman,
Skopje
and
Negotino.
The
school
got
its
name
after
that
event.
There
are
19
teachers
in
the
school
with
a
monthly
salary
of
around
100
Euros,"
says
Naste
Trpevski,
the
president
of
the
local
council
of
Dolna
Gorica.
These
villages
in
Prespa
are
only
2
km
from
the
border
crossing
at
Stenje
on
the
Macedonia-Albanian
Border.
Even
after
14
years
since
the
opening
of
the
border
crossing,
the
road
is
not
asphalted.
The
town
of
Korca
is
only
30
km
away.
The
locals
live
from
agriculture,
selling
apples,
fish,
mountain
tea,
Albanian
cognac,
woods…
The
women
aged
too
early.
The
strong
sun
burned
and
wrinkled
their
faces.
They
stopped
wearing
the
traditional
costumes
long
time
ago.
The
men
are
looking
for
better
life.
The
older
ones
are
coming
in
this
country
and
labor
for
500
denars
a
day.
The
younger
ones
are
trying
their
luck
in
Greece,
Bulgaria,
America
and
Canada.
Tuminec,
the
second
biggest
village
after
Pustec,
has
population
of
650
and
Dolna
Gorica
has
around
400.
In
Tuminec
there
are
only
two
people
with
permanent
jobs
and
a
salary
of
110
Euros.
The
villagers
produce
their
own
bread
and
milk,
and
the
rest
is
usually
bought
in
Resen.
Just
in
case,
they
have
both
the
Macedonian
and
the
Albanian
passport.
The
water
is
provided
from
the
wells,
the
electricity
is
not
very
strong
and
they
do
not
have
fixed
telephone
lines.
The
residents
of
Dolna
Gorica
with
their
friends
in
Tuminec
are
"communicating"
through
mobiles
from
Mobimak
and
Kosmofon,
even
though
in
that
region
there
is
a
Greek
mobile
network
as
well.
"I
do
not
want
to
leave
Tuminec.
I
do
not
have
a
job,
but
I
do
not
want
to
work
as
a
hired
hand.
I
finished
primary
school.
It
is
rarely
for
someone
to
finish
high
school
or
university
here,"
says
the
18
year
old
Tose
Mitre.
The
locals
are
saying
that
there
are
30
churches
around.
"We
celebrate
all
the
saints'
days.
The
women
go
to
church
more
often
and
they
follow
all
the
traditions.
The
men
go
less
often
to
church
because
of
the
influence
from
the
old
communist
regime,"
says
the
teacher
from
Tuminec.
Lj.
G.
Translated
by
Goce
Sengulovski
Source:
Dnevnik,
#2568,
September
27,
2004
(Direct
link)
©
2000
RM
-
Reality
Macedonia.
All
Rights
Reserved.
This
material
may
not
be
published,
broadcast,
rewritten
or
redistributed
in
any
form
except
with
the
prior
express
permission
of
Macedonian
Information
Agency.
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