BIRN: The daily migration to Montenegro empties Shkodra of its workforce

For Ilir Dibra, a carpenter from Shkodra, working in Montenegro was not an easy choice, but a necessity dictated by the economic difficulties in his city. He has been working for nine years as a carpenter in Ulcinj - where he says that the working conditions and wages are better than in Albania.

"Here the salaries for woodworking are higher. We are provided with work papers and we are paid social security. I hope that these years will be recognized for us very soon, because the number of Albanians working here is considerable," said Dibra.

Dibra is just one of the hundreds of residents of Shkodra district, who are working in the neighboring country of Montenegro. While official statistics are missing, local government representatives say that hundreds of workers from the Shkodra area and its surroundings travel every day for work in Montenegro, mainly in Ulcinj.

"This movement of residents from the whole area and the villages, which are close to the border with Montenegro, has led to a departure of the workforce due to the salary level," says Adnan Shullani, administrator of the Ana e Mali Administrative Unit. , border area with Montenegro.

At the Muriqani border crossing, workers cross in groups every morning.

Eraldi and Ili, two young men from Muriqani, told BIRN that they leave every morning at 5:00 a.m. and return around 4:00 p.m. The boys say that they were forced to look for work in Montenegro, since after finishing school they could not find space in the labor market in their country.

"Almost all the young boys of the area start work there, some deal with the tourism sector and others with the harvesting of seasonal fruits. We had an offer from a factory, which, as beginners, offered us 30 euros a day, and then we could spend 50 euros a day," says Eraldi.

Young people say that working conditions in the neighboring country are much better than in Shkodër. In addition to a satisfactory salary, they are provided with transportation, lunch and an hour of rest per day. "In our area this is considered a luxury," they say.

However, such a situation has brought its effects on the local market, especially in Shkodër and Malësi i Madhe, and in the areas near the border points, such as Muriqani and Hani i Hoti.

With the departure of professionals and young people to Montenegro, local or family businesses in sectors such as construction, carpentry and manufacturing are facing difficulties in finding qualified labor.

"This has caused many businesses to face difficulties and turn to family businesses, where everyone works together, as it is difficult to find manpower. Salary competition is what affects this phenomenon," says Shullani.

The administrator of Anna e Mali says that the phenomenon became visible when the common customs that connects Albania with Montenegro was opened in Muriqan.

"The demand for workers from Ulcinj and then from other cities with higher salaries than those of private businesses in Albania has pushed residents to look for work across the border. Some of them travel every day in the morning and return in the afternoon, while there are also those who stay for weeks and return only on weekends," he says.

There is no official data on this daily or weekly emigration, despite the fact that the flow is visible. The local police of Shkodra, through an official email, told BIRN that they did not record the reasons for crossing the border and had no statistics. This lack of official data creates a gap in the full understanding of the phenomenon and the impact it has on the labor market in Albania.

Simon Shkreli, journalist and actor at the Migjeni Theater, who is originally from Ulcinj, says that the phenomenon is increasingly sensitive.

"In Shkodër it is extremely difficult to find a person for a minimal service, such as an electrician for changing a plug or a porter. As for the construction brigades, they no longer exist. In agriculture and animal husbandry, farmers have been forced to reduce herds and reduce production due to the lack of workers. This has had an extremely negative impact," says Shkreli.

According to Shkreli, Ulcinj did not offer opportunities years ago, but recently it has transformed into a city where tourism and production are constantly growing.

"After graduating from the Faculty of Arts in Prishtina, in 2004, I returned to Ulcinj. But there, just like today, there was neither a theater, nor a cinema, nor an art gallery. Media was a big word to describe what could be called local media,” he recalls.

He says that 10 years ago, Ulcinj had a large emigration, but now we can talk about internal migration. The rural areas around the city are getting closer and closer to the suburbs, and this is because of the urban plan that allows the construction of 25,000 buildings.

"This has created a need for many workers, and the number of Albanians working in Montenegro has increased," he says.

In Ulcin there are about 550 Albanian workers who work throughout the year in various sectors, such as construction and hospitality. During the summer season, this number increases even more, as the payments are higher and the treatment is better.

According to him, the daily wage in Ulcinj is 40 euros for 8 hours of work and food and sleep are guaranteed. "This is the reason why there are so many Albanians working in Montenegro. At the end of the day, everyone works where they are paid the most," concludes Shkreli. Reporter.al