The importance of Western Balkan countries in guarding the external borders of EU became apparent in summer 2015 after the statement of Austria’s foreign minister Sebastian Kurz: “If we do not have functional border controls at the external borders of the European Union, the whole idea of a European Union without borders inside is in danger”. Following the actuality, the challenges posed by migration pressures for the countries of the region, and the implications of the “Balkans route”, were the main topics of the Vienna Summit. The principles of commitment to a European migration policy, based on criteria of solidarity and equity and the need to help the Balkan countries to manage the situation were the basis of discussion.

This Working Paper analyses the context, policies and actions of the Albanian Government following the Western Balkans Route impact on the country and the respective conclusions of the Vienna Summit of August 2015. The study took place from November 2015 until June 2016 and included desk review, media monitoring, interviews and field visits.

This Working Paper is part of the “Berlin Process Series”, started in November 2015 in Tirana as an initiative of the Cooperation and Development Institute supported by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Hanns Seidel Stiftung, and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. This Working Paper was supported by Hanns Seidel Stiftung.

Tags: Migration, P2P Connectivity, Reintegration

The following working paper, elaborated by a high professional scientist team of the “Cooperation and Development Institute (CDI) / ShtetiWeb” supported by the Tirana-office of the Hanns- Seidel Foundation (HSF), aims at fill in this apparent gap.

The study investigates in a paramount and comprehensive level the external pull factors and internal push-factors of the Albanian case of emigration wave to Germany and contributes therefore by its “lesson-learnt” to some improvement of understanding of the phenomenon and better tool of solving the situation.

The contents of the following study as part of the CDI-HSS “Berlin Process-Series-working papers” provides some scientific illumination and analysis of the Albanian generally migrant profile, analysis of the Albanian migrant experiences in the destiny-country Germany and also analysis of the perspectives of Albanian migrants after their return in the origin-country after having been rejected their asylum application, because they are regarded mainly as only “jobseekers”, expecting and wishing better living conditions.

The study is finally completed by some institutional and legal framework context on the reintegration topic and by special conclusions and policy recommendations. The study took place from April until October 2016 and the draft publication was presented by some joint CDI-HSF “round-table” discussion in Tirana on 16th of December 2016 to some public audience and to media, which were very interested in the topic.

Tags: Migration, P2P Connectivity, Society

This Working Paper is prepared by Cooperation and Development Institute and aims to investigate and provide a robust understanding of the recent migration outflow originating from Albania during 2014 – 2015, the push and pull factors that caused it; the experience of Albanian migrants abroad and the profiles and perspectives of the returnees.

The study took place from April until October 2016 and included desk review, media monitoring, in-depth interviews and field visits.

Tags: Migration, P2P Connectivity, Society