Kosovo opposition asks for establishment of Diaspora Ministry

Kosovo’s opposition party, New Kosovo Alliance, its chairman for diaspora Arben Kurteshi, during a press conference on Monday, spoke about the vital need to establish the Ministry of Diaspora, calling on the Kosovo Parliament to urgently create legal conditions for the formation of the ministry and the reservation of seats in parliament for MPs from the diaspora. And, asked the Kosovo Government to create the brain gain policy to encourage the Kosovar diaspora to return home to assist the new country as a way to strengthen the political, social and cultural institutions.  

“I think the establishment of the Ministry of Diaspora is an eminent issue, here. We have over 700,000 Kosovars living abroad and their relationship with the over 2.5 million people here in Kosovo are very close. The Diaspora’s contribution to Kosovo’s political and economical life remains vital for the development of the country,” the AKR official said.

“The investments of Kosovar diaspora to their homeland are like pouring water. As Kosovo applies lesser bureaucratic barriers to its citizens living abroad, the easier flow of water. We ought to give special provisions and show solid commitment to strengthening ties with Kosovar diaspora as a significant opportunity to assist Kosovo in all aspects of life,” Kurteshi added.

Meanwhile, the Government of the Republic of Kosovo has pledged not long ago, to examine the establishment of the Ministry for Diaspora, as the supportive voices for a such move among the opposition continues, however critical for “the unreasonable delay”.

Over half million Kosovars still reside abroad who never returned after the war ended in 1999. Most of them are immigrants and refugees to were forced to leave Kosovo due to ethnic cleansing policies of Serbia which was during the colonialist occupation of Kosovo until 1999.