Pustec ( sq, Pustec; mk, Пустец) formerly known as Liqenas (1973–2013), is a village in Pustec Municipality, Korçë County, eastern Albania. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Prespa, it is home to much of the Macedonian minority in Albania.

Geography

Pustec is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Prespa and is the nearest village to the island of Maligrad. It sits at an elevation of above sea level. To the northeast, along the lake, lies Shulin, while in the southeast is the village of Leska. Pustec and the surrounding region lie within the Prespa National Park.

History

The village of Pustec was mentioned in the Slepche Beadroll from the 16th century. The survey by Dimitar Mishev (D. Brancoff) from 1905 shows that the inhabitants of the village of Pustec ( bg, Пустец) were in the bosom of the

Bulgarian Exarchate The Bulgarian Exarchate ( bg, Българска екзархия, Balgarska ekzarhiya; tr, Bulgar Eksarhlığı) was the official name of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church before its autocephaly was recognized by the Ecumenical See in 1945 and th ...

. There were 400

Bulgarian Exarchists Bulgarian Millet ( tr, Bulgar Milleti) was an ethno-religious and linguistic community within the Ottoman Empire from the mid-19th to early 20th century. The semi-official term ''Bulgarian millet'', was used by the Sultan for the first time in ...

in the village. The French linguist

André Mazon André — sometimes transliterated as Andre — is the French and Portuguese form of the name Andrew, and is now also used in the English-speaking world. It used in France, Quebec, Canada and other French-speaking countries. It is a variation o ...

in his study on Slavic folklore in Albania from 1936 noted Pustec as a Bulgarian village in the region of Mala Prespa. In 1939, on behalf of 70 Bulgarian houses in Pusteets, Todor Postalov signed a request by the local Bulgarians to the Bulgarian tsaritsa

Giovanna Giovanna is an Italian feminine first name. It is the feminine counterpart of the masculine Giovanni, which in turn is the Italian form of John; it is thus the Italian equivalent of Jane, Joanna, Jeanne, etc. In Brazil, the feminine name Giova ...

requesting her intervention for the protection of the Bulgarian people in Albania – at that time an Italian protectorate. In 1973, the official name of the village was changed to ''Liqenas'' by the Albanian government. In 2013, however, the original Macedonian name, ''Pustec'', was once again made official.Pustec poveke ne e Liqenas
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Demographics

The majority of the population are ethnic Macedonians.

Culture

The village of Pustec is situated near two centuries'-old rock churches. The first, Saint Michael the Archangel, is situated on the Lake Prespa shore. Its oldest frescoes date from the 12th century. The other, St Nicholas, contains only fragments of its original frescoes.

People from Pustec

Trajan Gjorgjiovski Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presid ...

partisan Partisan may refer to: Military * Partisan (weapon), a pole weapon * Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line Films * ''Partisan'' (film), a 2015 Australian film * ''Hell River'', a 1974 Yugoslavian film also know ...

* Mitre Kolevski, partisan * Edmond Temelko, mayor of Pustec Municipality and president of the Macedonian Party

References

{{Pustec div Populated places in Pustec Municipality Villages in Korçë County