Egyptian Community

The Egyptians consider themselves an ethnic group whose ancestry can be traced back to ancient Egypt. In the Yugoslav in 1991 the Egyptians were recognized as a separate ethnic group. Also, it was in the 1990s that the Egyptian community started to organize itself into political and civil society organizations.

The Egyptian community shares cultural similarities and socio-economic issues with the Roma and Ashkali communities in Kosovo, but consider themselves a distinct and separate community. Correspondingly, Kosovo, through its institutions and legislation, recognizes the Egyptian community’s distinct identity and treats them as such. They are concentrated mainly, but not exclusively, in Kosovo, Albania and Macedonia. They are nominally Sunni Muslim, sedentary and urban, and often enjoy a relatively high standard of living in comparison to the Roma and Ashkali communities.

Egyptians are native Albanian speakers.

The Egyptian community has one (1) seat guaranteed in the Kosovo Assembly, and one (1) additional seat is awarded to the Roma, the Ashkali or the Egyptian community with the highest overall votes. The community also nominates two (2) members of the CCC.

Egyptians predominatly live in  Gjakovë/Dakovica; Pejë/Peć; FushëKosovë/Kosovo Polje; and, Istog/Istok, Pejë/Peć. But they are scattered all over the Kosovo.