 The Turkish population in the Prespa region is believed by scholars to either be descended from Turks settled in strategic areas or the descendants of local Turkified Slavs during Ottoman rule.The presence of Muslim Albanians in the Lake Prespa region dates to the Ottoman period consisting of southern Albanians (Tosks) who arrived from various areas of southern Albania, while some families consider their presence in the Prespa region to be indigenous.The speech and folklore of Prespa Albanians ("Presparë") is similar to that of the Devoll and Korçë regions in Albania.