A public fund will be created by the end of this year to aid in the construction of a Bulgarian college in the Albanian capital in Tirana.

Organisers of the initiative are the heads of the national association of municipal councils and the Prosperity for Golo Burdo union in Albania, Bulgarian National Radio reported.

Nearly 100 000 people from 38 communities in the Albanian regions of Golo Burdo, Prespa and Trebishte define themselves as Bulgarians. They have kept their Bulgarian traditions and customs, communicate in the Bulgarian language but do not read and write in Bulgarian.

“Our dream is to establish the school which will preserve the identity of the Bulgarian community in Albania and will integrate them more quickly into the current achievements of Bulgarian culture”, head of Prosperity for Golo Burdo Hadzhi Peroushi said.