SEEU Review vol. 6 Nr. 2 (pdf) - South East European University

Luljeta Ikonomi, PhD CandidateFor this reason, Albania should create the relevant facilities for triggeringmigrants towards sustainable investments. NSM also envisages the need toattract Diaspora to the country, in particular for tourism and investments.Pursuant to such measures, the Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berishaarticulated what was considered as a strategic approach- the ‘Albania oneeuro’ initiative- in 2006. This initiative was believed to target in particularthe traditional Diaspora and emigrant communities. Prime minister Berishalaunched in all the media that Albania would be the cheapest and bestcountry for investors, who could buy land for 1 euro, hire employees for 1euro, buy and use technological water for one euro and other services suchas registration of the business for one euro, enter into Albania for one euroetc (i.e BBC: 2006; Shekulli: 2006). The declaration was further followed bydeclarations of representatives of Ministry of Territory or Ministry ofFinance which mention that there is free-unused land in Albania that can besold to strategic investors for 1 euro (Austin: 2006). While this might be thecase with the land, technological water or registration fee, it is not clear, howthe Albanian Government would subject labour force to work for 1 euro!In practice the ‘Albania one euro’ initiative targeting Diaspora andemigrants has not been implemented, at least during the last 4 years. Soon itwas seen that it was a hasty declaration as the national legislation did notprovide adequate legal provisions. One of the problems was that it could besubject to abuse, as Albanians residents in the country (former emigrants)could claim ‘Diaspora’ status and buy/invest under the ‘one euro’ programe.Also, it was not clear what would be subject to ‘one euro cost’, in a situationwhere most of the property in Albania is privately owned. Moreover, afterthe first declarations targeting first and foremost, the investors from theAlbanian Diaspora, the ‘Albania one euro’ motto was re-designed and relaunchedonly for foreign investors and not as an incentive foremigrants/diaspora. It has yet to be evaluated whether this initiative is/willfunction for the foreign investors.Another document approved by Albanian Government for developmentof the country through migration, is the National Action Plan onRemittances, which was drafted pursuant to the measure 66 of theNSM/National Action Plan on Migration. The Action Plan contains 8measures, which are mainly focused on enhancing and developing legalchannels for transfer of remittances to Albania. While most of the measuresof the Action Plan on Remittances are either a replication of NSM or subjectto private sector action, such as banks and micro credit institutions, the veryessence of the Action Plan on Remittances rests in its ability to orientremittances of migrants into investment in the country. However, the50