Enver Robelli, journalist and publicist, stated on “Përballje Podcast” that the diaspora continues to be an important economic bridge for Kosovo, but foreign investments are still not at the expected level and are often overloaded with unrealistic expectations.
This podcast is supported by the company EXFIS.
He emphasized that beyond remittances, certain sectors have benefited significantly from direct connections with the diaspora, especially the Albanian community in Switzerland.
“It’s not that there is a huge development that investors from the diaspora are coming, but there is some progress here and there. Many Albanians in Switzerland have established construction companies and they get a lot of material from Kosovo. The wood industry in particular has an extremely good development in Kosovo thanks to the sales it makes in Switzerland. I consider it one of the best possible developments,” he stated.
However, he warned that the idea of a mass return of diaspora professionals is an illusion that politics has nurtured for years.
“In the past, there were many illusions that people would return and bring their expertise. No one returns because it is very difficult to return to a country after having built a new life, a new career in another country for 20-30 years. It seems a bit illusory to me. But sometimes politics is a kind of market where illusions are sold a lot,” Robelli added, writes Telegrafi.
According to Robelli, the contribution of the diaspora should be seen in other forms.
“The real contribution of the diaspora can come through projects, investments, mentoring and professional networks, not necessarily through physical displacement,” he said.
According to him, the debate about voting should be clear and without dilemmas.
“If someone has citizenship, they can vote. There are no first-class and second-class citizenships. Anyone who has a passport can vote,” Robelli said.
He added that the diaspora has legitimate interests in Kosovo, so it should have structured representation in the Assembly.
“The diaspora should have a representation of its interests in the Kosovo Parliament. People have property here, they have families and they have legitimate interests. It would be good to copy the Croatian model, where the diaspora sends two or three deputies and they represent its interests in the Assembly, like in the Croatian Sabor”, Robelli concluded. /Telegraph/