Imigration of Kosovars Now Becomes Regular

According to a report released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Government of Kosovo, it is said that for the period 2013-2017 on average annually, up to 35 thousand Kosovo citizens have emigrated. During 2013 é 2017, from Kosovo, according to these data, which account for the Kosovo Statistics Agency, have emigrated more than 170 thousand citizens. This data has included regular and irregular migration and that a considerable number emigrated seeking asylum.

The migration trend in the Republic of Kosovo is said to have been growing steadily until 2016, at a time since 2016, migration has seen considerable decline.

The largest number of citizens who migrated from the country during this period was in 2015, when more than 75,000 citizens emigrated from Kosovo, most of them in irregular form. In 2017 migration has marked a decline of some 12,000 citizens. Most immigrants for 2017 were regular immigrants, and the reasons were family union, marriages, employment, study, etc.

Youth With a Persistence

The responsible authorities in Kosovo have repeatedly called that moving abroad is a sacrifice not worth it. But many young osovars, because, as they say, the inconspective in the country where they live, want to abandon Kosovo.

One of them is Drilon Rexhepi, a student at the Faculty of Economics at Pristina University. He says he has hoped that after Kosovo's declaration of independence, things will change, but even this period of citizenship has not brought prospects for young people. For this reason, Rexhepi says he would willingly leave Kosovo. Whatever else I would go, just outside Kosovo. In Kosovo, there is no prospect for young people. Here it's like finishing the faculty like you don't go at all, but it's still out of work, says Drillon.

Another factor that promotes the desire to quit is the lack of free movement of citizens in Kosovo. For Vigan Ali, a young man from Pristina, this is isolation. I would abandon Kosovo due to isolation and not free movement. That's my main reason. In Kosovo, it is not a good life for young people. In all institutions, even in educational institutions, there is nepotism. The student registration is also accomplished on the basis of this phenomenon. It's a” disaster, Aliu says.

Facts About Migrating

In Kosovo, migration dates back to the 1960s, but mass evacuation occurred during 1998-1999, during the war in Kosovo. After the war, migration has been stimulated by difficult socioeconomic conditions, say connoisseurs of the migration issue and sociologists. Recognition of the migration issue in Kosovo, Syla Sefaj, says there are two key factors that are influencing the motivation of Kosovo citizens to migrate abroad. According to him, they are the driving and attractive factors.

“Pushing and attractive factors to emigrate abroad are the possibilities European states like Germany are offering. These countries are making it easier for citizens of other countries to meet the number of workers they lack there. The difficult socioeconomic conditions also drive them to migrate towards foreign states.”, Sefaj says.

The most affected sector by regular migration is that health. Kosovar politicians have long ago highlighted this. However, according to connoisseur on migration case Syla Sefaj, each one has the right to migrate regularly.

“Eence is to prevent irregular migration, the right to migration is each to decide for itself where he wants to live. The goal of the Republic of Kosovo is still to prevent irregular migration, and in recent years we have had increased the number of citizens who migrated to European states regularly.”, Sefaj says.

Even the Sociologist Beauty Rrustemi believes that migration trends are on the rise. She sees the reason for all this in her socioeconomic state. Beauty Rustemi, also leader of the nongovernmental organisation Social Action Initiative, claims that the trend to migrate to Western countries has been current since the end of the recent war in Kosovo.

Kosovo Government officials regularly state, that the time of illegal migration has ended and that Kosovo is in the process of visa liberalisation with the European Union for free movement in the member states of the European Union.

According to them, migration should be done in legal forms, including migration for study purposes, seasonal employment, experience exchange, and various training. In addition, sociologist Beauty Rustemi sees other factors like frustration, distrust in state institutions, state uncertainty, lack of perspective for a better life, political reasons, poor quality of education offered by educational institutions in the country, nepotism, clientelemism and corruption as phenomena that have overwhelmed life in this country. But there is no lack of cultural causes, and the current trend of migration flows meaning that ‟we're all going out, and we're all proving it”, the Rrustemi concludes.