A few months ago, the Government of Montenegro introduced several amendments to the Law on Citizenship and Identity Card, through which many Albanians who temporarily live abroad will lose their citizenship or identity card, or both.
In short, when our emigrants return or visit their homeland, they may encounter various legal difficulties and be treated as foreigners in their own country.
The Coalition of Albanian Organizations from Montenegro to the USA has reacted harshly to this situation.
Read the feedback:
Honorable President Milo Đukanovic,
Speaker of Parliament Aleksa Bečić,
The Prime Minister of Montenegro Zdravko Krivokapić,
Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic,
Minister of Justice, Human and Minority Rights Vladimir Leposavic,
Minister of Interior Sergej Sekulovi,,
CC: United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs
Albanian American Issues Caucus
Council of Europe – Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights
European Commission – High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Joint Statement by the Albanian Diaspora from Montenegro to the United States
Continued discrimination against the indigenous Albanian minority in Montenegro is becoming increasingly apparent and institutionalized. Albanians are an ethnic minority in Montenegro that, according to the 2011 National Census, makes up 4.9% of the population – up from 6.6% in 1981.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Montenegrin government has proposed several changes to the law on Montenegrin citizenship and residence permits which, if approved, would undoubtedly further suppress the voice and representation of Albanians and other minority groups in Mali. black.
Under current law, citizens of many countries can enter Montenegro without a visa and stay for up to 90 days if they have a valid passport. To stay longer than 90 days, you must have one of the following:
• Temporary Residence Permit – These are valid for one year and can be renewed for subsequent one year terms.
• Permanent Residence Permit – These are valid for five years and can be renewed. This permit grants all the privileges of Montenegrin citizenship, except voting and holding a Montenegrin passport.
• Citizenship – After 10 years of living in Montenegro, you can apply for full citizenship.
The proposed law would give people with a permanent residence permit the right to vote and apply for citizenship. According to Interior Minister Sekulovic, the change in the law on permanent residence will “facilitate” and accelerate the process of naturalization of tens of thousands of Montenegrin citizens. Although it may sound like a positive change, the law would have detrimental consequences for registered voters: first, the new law would change the country’s demographics; second, it would exacerbate inter-ethnic tensions that could lead to a conflict before the next election cycle.
According to the Interior Ministry, more than 64,000 foreign nationals live in Montenegro. Of that population, 30,930 people have permanent residence permits, having lived in Montenegro for years, while 32,816 people have temporary permits. Most of these people are Serbs and Russians who have bought property in Montenegro.
The opposition sees a political aspect of the proposal. The opposition claims that most of the potential new citizens would be Serbs who support the ruling parties, alluding to the current government for planning to change the country’s demographic and political structure.
“The state economy is facing collapse and there is unrest at home across the country, while the government is changing the rules of citizenship to the detriment of the state and national interests. “We will defend our state and our national dignity,” Markovic, the former prime minister of the former ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, said in a Twitter post.
Every action provokes a reaction – and so, by changing the laws, Montenegro risks destabilization and unrest. Moreover, this would also be detrimental to Montenegro’s path to the EU.
Furthermore, the law on the register of persons with permanent and temporary residence aims first at deregistration and then at re-registration of permanent residents. This law would not only serve to clear the voter list, but would also intentionally penalize the Albanian diaspora and other minorities temporarily working abroad who would have difficulty re-registering within a year, thus losing their citizenship. their Montenegrin and suffrage.
In Montenegro, the proposed changes to the citizenship law will systematically dilute minority numbers; will force Albanians and other minority groups to assimilate, losing their ethnic identity; and will force them to leave their homeland due to lack of opportunities and prosperity. Based on a 2015 survey by the Ministry of Human Rights and Minorities, Albanians make up only 1.8% of the state administration workforce in the country, well below their percentage of the population. The situation of indigenous ethnic Albanians in Montenegro continues to deteriorate due to lack of opportunities, persistent discrimination and economic inequality.
The city of Ulcinj and other Albanian-inhabited territories, once the most prosperous parts of Montenegro, have now become the poorest regions. This sophisticated form of ethnic cleansing is evident in demographic data, which show that the number of Albanians in Montenegro has been declining for the last 50 years.
The Albanian diaspora of Montenegro in the United States, larger in number than its family members in our homeland, has remained visible and has played a proactive role in supporting Montenegro’s independence and democratization. They have also been a source of financial support and foreign direct investment. According to FREED data, remittances in 2017 accounted for up to 11% of Montenegro’s total GDP.
Moreover, reconstruction projects, diaspora tourism and direct investments amounting to more than $ 500 million a year are proof of the diaspora’s contribution to the Montenegrin economy. Passing these changes to citizenship laws would also be a major investment for the diaspora – at a time when Montenegro is facing a dire economic situation.
We want the United States and the international community to become aware of these anti-democratic actions proposed by the current Montenegrin government and to demand that the Montenegrin government cease and give up immediately. The international community has a lot of Balkan issues on their plate and there is no need for another one.
We call on the Montenegrin government to withdraw its proposed changes to the law, which are disguised as progressive but are in fact misconceived and intended to support the current government at the expense of Albanians and other minorities. It is nothing but an act of discrimination in disguise that can destabilize the country and cause considerable damage to the already weak economy and fragile political climate in Montenegro and the region.
Respectfully submitted by:
Mark Gjonaj New York City Councilmember
Vedat Gashi Westchester County Legislator
Albanian American Community Association
Albanian American Association Ulqini
Albanian American Cultural Foundation
Don Gjon Buzuku Association – Chicago
Don Gjon Buzuku Association- New York
PAN-ALBANIAN VATRA Federation
Don Simon Filipaj Foundation
Hoti i Kujit Foundation
Plave Guci Foundation
TRIESHI Humanitarian Fund
MOUNTAIN SIDE Association
KRAJA Patriotic Association
Patriotic Association MALESIA E MADHE- Michigan
MALESIA E MADHE Association – NY
KOJA Association
1740 Hone Avenue, New York
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+1 (917) 679-9300
