During a conference organized by INSTAT titled “The Challenges of Migration,” Prime Minister Edi Rama stated that there should be no worries about the massive exodus of well-educated Albanians from the country:
“No one can say that this phenomenon is entirely positive, but in no way should it be thought as a negative phenomenon.
This is a phenomenon that has its own very positive aspects and its own negative aspects. What we need is to understand every aspect of this phenomenon so that we don’t drown in a cup of water being squished every day in the crocodile tears for those who leave or the fatality of the arguments how our country will be tomorrow.”
For years, Albanians have topped the lists of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers in the EU, even though Albania is recognized by all EU states as a “safe country of origin.” Most migrants leave Albania for economic reasons.
Rama valued the emigration of Albanians because “there is no developed country today that hasn’t had emigration and emigrants as one of the main source of economic growth and the growth of the level of knowledge to develop oneself.”
In the same meeting, German Ambassador Susanne Schütz stated that there are no legitimate reasons to leave Albania except to work through regular employment visa:
“I have hear Albanians say “we want work and better healthcare.” For these two things the government needs to work hard here, because that’s no reason to be recognized as asylum seeker. The road to go to Germany is through regular employment visa.”
Each year, Germany hands out dozens of employment visas to top students from medical faculties, thus contributing actively to the brain drain from the healthcare sector in Albania.
