The emigration of young people to Albania continues to be worrying

In Albania, the phenomenon of emigration, mainly of young people, continues to be worrying not only because of the departure of the active workforce, but also because of the level of democracy in the country. According to official data, from 2011 onwards, an average of 42,000 people have left Albania each year, 70 percent of whom are young. The Voice of America talked to a group of young people, who say that, due to the possibilities of movement and communication, the perception of a part of the young people in terms of emigration is also changing.

Like many young Albanians, Robert Bisha also emigrated to the shores of Italy when he was 15 years old with the desire to study the pianoforte. But he says that, after completing his studies, he faced the dilemma; to stay in the country of emigration or return to Albania.

"In a way, emigration to me was definitely a break, a strong sign where I put the question mark: will I eventually return or does this remain an open issue? The distances are already short. I ran away, but I also came back. And I'm constantly on the move," he says.

In recent years, says Roberti, the distance between Albania and Italy has significantly decreased, which did not happen in the first years of emigration. This gave him the opportunity to live and work between the two countries.

"In Italy I play my parts, I do concerts, I have a small studio where I compose and write. When I am in Albania, in Shkodër, I have a festival that I have been organizing for four years. I don't play myself, but musicians play that I call and who are probably the highest level of pianists we have", he says.

The same thing happened with the young Gerti Palali, who emigrated to Turin, Italy. He says that a part of educated young people are increasingly dividing their lives between the country they immigrated to and their hometown.

"Life in emigration is a little different. You have to study, you also have to work in another profession to cover the costs of immigration, rent and all that. While I return here very often because the interior does not let me. I come to work in my profession. I miss the applause, the excitement of a film set and all that. I come back very often during the year with projects", he says.

According to the Institute of Statistics, due to emigration, from 2011 onwards, about 42 thousand people leave Albania every year, where 70 percent of them are young people.

This departure of young people has consequences not only in the decline of the labor force, but also in the level of democracy in the country. Most young people leave mainly for better job opportunities, education and health care, but Gerti says that, even in emigration, young people face difficulties and problems.

"Young people look more easily at the economic issue in another country, the issue of security and many other issues. But, it's a very nice thing that when we are here in Albania we say "lucky you who are abroad because you have money, live a more peaceful life", but when we are abroad we say "oh lucky you who are in Albania, because like Albania you don't is nobody". So, I believe that this has always accompanied us", he says. In 2020, Sara Prençi went to Turkey where she is studying television, cinema and acting. Compared to Turkey, she says, Albania is still behind in terms of television and cinematography and this makes her pessimistic about the possibility of returning to Albania.

"I see myself as an actress and this is my biggest struggle with myself. And I see myself in Istanbul playing movies or standing behind the cameras shooting," she says.

Although according to surveys, a large part of young Albanians like to emigrate or study abroad, there are also many others who want to continue their career in their country.

Erisela Smaka has finished her studies in physiotherapy and is now doing professional practice among grandparents at the Home for the Elderly in Shkodër.

"I decided to stay in Albania to serve my mother and father, my family and why not my grandparents here in the old people's home. Here we have the third age, they have loss of mobility, sensibility, loss of strength, and for this the intervention of a physiotherapist is needed", she says.

The director of the "Arka" Youth Center in Shkodër, Marjan Lukani, says that immigration has changed over the last three decades, since the opening of Albania to Europe.

While in the beginning young people emigrated with the intention of returning and building a home or business near the family, over the years they built their lives in the countries they emigrated to. While now, with the ease of movement and communication, some of them are looking at themselves between the country of emigration and Albania.

"A part of them still have the desire to return to their country to give their contribution to the country. And, I have the impression that it is a great duty of the government, of us as a society, to do everything possible so that these young people have the opportunity to return to Albania, says Marjan Lukani.