Statement by the Minister of Social Welfare and Youth, Erion Veliaj following the Council of Ministers meeting:

A few months ago we approved several decisions of the Council of Ministers on the liberalization of the labor market, which means that we liberalized the labor market with Kosovo. Thus, the employment offers would be the same for both Albania and Kosovo, in a single labor market.

Today we went further with a new Decision of the Council of Ministers, following also the meeting in Prizren of the two governments, which removed the bureaucratic process of issuing work permits for citizens of the Republic of Kosovo.

This means that from now on all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo will be exempt from the bureaucratic process of applying for permits or certificates of employment registration, since the today DCM offers the opportunity to work in the Republic of Albania to every citizen of Kosovo.

In addition, the Decision of the Council of Ministers establishes that this right extends also to all citizens of Presheva Valley. The Government of Albania has responded positively to a request by a representative of students of Presheva Valley studying in Tirana. Under the previous government their position was regulated by a law called Law on employment of foreigners.

Our government does not look at citizens of Albanian nationality of Presheva Valley as foreigners. This is why by the today DCM, every student, young woman or young man who finds a job and an opportunity to be employed, will be employed without going through the bureaucratic process for work permits or quota employment alignment that Albania has with other countries, or bilateral agreements on quotas for foreign workers.

This is good news. I know that there are probably people who disapprove and say that in Albania there are not enough jobs for citizens of Albania, not to mention for citizens of Kosovo and Presheva.

I would like to inform those disapproving that 80% of requests that we have received for work permit in Albania by citizens of the Republic of Kosovo and Presheva Valley, actually have been submitted by businessmen, so people who create jobs and apply for a work permit to open their own business. In most cases, 80% of these requests for work permits that are obtained or canceled by the decision of the Council of Ministers, concern those who create jobs, mainly small and medium enterprises, citizens of the Republic of Kosovo and Presheva Valley. Today, I am very glad that after several months of work we have done something concrete.

Let me wish to every citizen of Kosovo and Presheva Valley: All the best with your work in Albania!

Thank you!