Democratic Union for Integration

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DUI symbol

The Democratic Union for Integration (Bashkimi Demokratik për Integrim, BDI, Demokratska Unija za Integracija, DUI) is the largest political party in the Republic of Macedonia among ethnic Albanians, and the third largest political party in all of Macedonia. It was formed immidietly after the war in the Republic of Macedonia in 2001 between the National Liberation Army (NLA) and the Macedonian Security Forces.

DUI succeeded the NLA, after the war in Macedonia in 2001, when the latter was dismantled and disarmed. The NLA leader Ali Ahmeti became party president, while the para-militant wartime HQ was transformed and legalized as the party governing body. However, after the war, many Albanian intellectuals from Macedonia, that were not members of the NLA, joined the party. The political party it was formed in June 2002.

At the legislative elections, 15 September 2002, the party won 11.9% of the popular vote (70% of the Albanian vote) and 16 out of 120 seats.

From 2002 to 2006 it was part of the ruling coalition along with the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia(SDUM) and the Liberal Democratic Party.

At the last legislative elections, held on July 5, 2006, the party's size increased slightly. It received 12% of the vote and 18 seats. However, since their Macedonian governmental partner the SDUM lost the election, DUI were not invited by the new Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski to participate in the new government, although it was again for the second time the largest party among the Albanian electorate in Macedonia. Their place was taken by the second largest Albanian political party, the Democratic Party of the Albanians. The party organized protest and tried to rally international support in order to join the new government, but all was in vain. Currently DUI is refusing to take part in the Macedonian Parliament, therefore blocking its effective functioning as the legislative body in the country.

[edit] The Symbol Controversy

The party's flag and symbol show the first letter of every word of the party name in Albanian (BDI), topped by seven stars of which one is encircled in a white circled. It has been theorized that each star represents one part of Greater Albania:

Republic of Albania
Ulcinj municipality and other parts of south-eastern Montenegro
Kosovo
Preševo Valley in southern Serbia
The western part of the Republic of Macedonia
Chameria region in north-western Greece

The seventh encircled star is said to represent Greater Albania.

This theory has never been confirmed by any party officials, and all allegations for their claims for a Greater Albania have been officially denied. The stars are officially referring to the party's plea for Macedonia's future in the European Union