New Law Defending Albanian diaspora

Following approval in the assembly, Albania's President Ilir Meta decreed the Law for Diaspora”, which protects the rights of Albanian citizens abroad for more active participation in the development of the mother country, reportedly in the official announcement of Albania's Diaspore Ministry.

The law for Diaspora, among other things, aims to define rules for the competencies of the state authorities responsible for dealing with the diaspora, the establishment of the Diaspora Co-ordination Council, the preservation and cultivation of national identity, language, cultural and educational identity of diaspora members, sends albinfo.ch.

Based on this law, the bodies responsible for relations with the diaspora are:

-The Council of Ministers; which defines the country's policies of origin for diaspora and ways and policies for Albanian citizens living outside Albanian territory

-The minister responsible for Diaspora; who, among other things, proposes the extraction of regulatory acts and other necessary measures for the diaspora relationship; oversees implementation of the Strategy for Diaspora; co-operates with the ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs for establishing cultural centres and so on.

-The National Diaspora Agency; which aims at the commitment of state structures to inform and support the diaspora; supporting and organising a functional database for the diaspora; taking co-ordinating measures to implement the right of the diaspora vote with Albanian citizenship in elections; encouraging investments; co-ordinating programmes to preserve Albanian identity and culture, etc.

- Cultural centres for Diaspora; to be created for the preservation and cultivation of national, linguistic, cultural and educational identity of the diaspora and strengthening its ties with Albanian institutions.

An important body to deal with representation and co-ordination of the diaspora relations is the Diaspora Co-ordination Council, which will consist of 13 members, representatives of the diaspora. Part of it will also be the prime minister, president and the most important ministers.

At the parliamentary hearing of the law vote, on behalf of the Socialist Party's parliamentary group, Adnor Shkam said the review and adoption of a special diaspora law confirm the Albanian government's will to concreteise a stronger institutional link between Albania and the diaspora.