Mr. Goro, given that you know the life of the Albanian migrant workers in Greece very well, can you tell us something about their political engagement regarding the developments in Albania, their desire to vote in the country where they live and how are they experiencing the fact that even this time, they will not be able to do it for the June 25 elections?
Migrant workers who live in Greece are up to date with the developments in Albania, while geographical proximity plays a major role in it. It must be stressed that Albanian migrant workers living there have constantly sought their right of vote and this is the third election that they insist on it. In fact, they are not requesting this as an act which satisfies migrant workers, but as an act of civilization for Albanian politics, because Albanians who live in societies more advanced than Albania use it as a point of reference. In their opinion, if things work like this in Greece, Italy or USA, why shouldn’t they work like this in Albania? They consider the right of vote in the country where they live as a right which they are entitled to. On the other hand, they are aware of the fact that it’s not only one political side that doesn’t want it to happen. I have a different opinion on this one. It looks like Albanian political class fears the vote of the migrant workers, because if the voting becomes electronic or by mail, then it cannot control it. But, by offering buses and by opening electoral offices in every area, of Greece in this case, they know more or less who they will vote for. On the other hand, I believe that political parties use this as some sort of “drill”, meaning that they want to see to what extent migrant workers are committed to them. However, given that people are politicized, they are loyal and whatever happens, they come and vote. Those who have voted the Democratic Party, will continue to vote it and those who have voted the Socialist Party, will continue to vote it.
But why is it so hard to change the political indoctrination of a migrant worker?
Because a migrant worker doesn’t face the same problems that an Albanian who lives in Albania has to face, although he follows developments there. He has no problems of making his ends meet, problems with the local government, fines, power supply cuts, lack of a job, etc. This political persuasion of his is more connected to the nostalgia that he has for his own country. Although it may sound bizarre, to me it is a paradox. A migrant worker believes that if he votes differently, then his love for his country will be smaller.
Are there any figures as to the number of migrant workers who have travelled from Greece to Albania and vote in the last elections?
Yes. It was reported that there were around 35 thousand people who travelled to Albania to vote in the 23 June 2013 elections. They mainly travelled by buses offered by political parties, but there were also many of those who travelled to Albania with their own cars or passenger buses. What surprises me the most is the fact that there are people and “courageous” women who leave their children, their job and their homes to come to Albania and participate in the electoral campaign of the Socialist Party. Or when the Prime Minister goes to Gjirokastra, 50 to 100 people from Athens or other parts of Greece go there not to see the Prime Minister, but because they belong to the structures of the Socialist Party in Greece.
Can we say that all contradictions or wrong mentalities which used to exist between the two sides, the Albanian and the Greek sides years ago, are a thing of the past now?
We cannot say that they have completely vanished, but now, both sides have gotten to know each other so well that they have learned to live with each other without any problem. At the end of the day, Albanians are employed by Greeks. There are cases when they are even paid more than them. But we must understand that migrant workers are very skeptic at the moment when there is tension between the two countries, because in one way or another, they pay the costs. Even Albanians who live in Albania don’t want any tension with Greece, because this is a country that we have very good relations with.
As a journalist, I believe that you are well aware of the news that came from Greece on the sea drillings, something which was also commented in Albania and caused lots of noise in the media. Don’t you think such situations cause artificial tension between the two sides?
As far as this news is concerned, I’m surprised because the declaration that was launched by the Greek minister was clear. He said that permission will be given for zone two, which is in the west of Corfu, bordering Italy and not Albania. No government dares to launch tender procedures for a contested zone, because such fact deters foreigners to be involved in these incentives, as the incentives may later be blocked.
PRESENCE
“Figures, there are around 600 thousand Albanians in Greece”
“I can say the latest figure that has been issued by the Greek ministry of Emigration. If I’m not mistaken, there are around 500 thousand Albanians who have stay permits in Greece. But there are also around 100 thousand who are on the way to receiving their stay permits and this brings the total figure to 600 thousand. This number has reduced, because around 2000, there were almost 1 million Albanians in Greece. However, the crisis has played a role, although there are no concrete figures. Meanwhile, we must say that the ones that return have not affected the numbers, because they are not usually registered. People who have families in Greece do not return”.
SITUATION
“Albanians are more accepted by the Greek society”
“The situation with Albanian migrant workers as far as the way in which Greek society accepts them is concerned has changed drastically. In contrast to the past, when Albanians were seen as criminals or seen with suspicion, their image has changed, because it’s been 30 years that they work for the Greeks. The myths of the past no longer exist now. Now, they are encountering the same problems that Greeks encounter, problems with the economic crisis, high taxes, low salaries, etc, because they are citizens of that country. Although some of them are yet to be legalized, they exert their activity there, they deposit their money there, they pay taxes, insurance, etc. In this aspect, they’re the same as the Greeks.
