TIRANA, March 20/ATA/-Albania’s Minister of State on Diaspora Pandeli Majko held a meeting on Tuesday with members of the British Parliament on the issue of the Albanian Diaspora.
Attending the meeting held at the venues of the House of Commons in London were MPs John Grogan, a British Labour Party politician and Chairperson of Albanian UK Friendship Group. Attending the meeting were also MPs Andrew Francis Slaughter, Martin Vickers, John Whittingdale, Seema Malhotra.
Minister Majko said that thanks to the Albanians living abroad, Albania is approached more with countries that used to be distant as the emigrants have become the best linking bridge between them.
While mentioning the great number of the successful Albanians living in Great Britain, Majko said the country owned maximum support to them.
The minister expressed grateful thanks to the politicians for their role in creating opportunities for the Albanian Diaspora there.
Speaking about education, Majko highlighted support to initiatives for setting up Albanian schools, but also demanded Albanian teachers getting involved in the state educational system.
“Albanians must be part of the whole”, said the minister emphasizing the need of prevention of their separation or double identity.
During the meeting, the MPs asked the minister on the strategy of the Albanian state on the Diaspora aiming at giving the emigrants the right to vote in elections.
Majko informed them on the steps taken until now and mentioned the law on the National Agency of Diaspora, the establishment of the Sub-Committee on Diaspora and Migration and the State Committee on the Diaspora.
He said that the strategy also focuses on channelling remittances into investments.
Speaking about the right to vote, Majko said that it was a question of an ambitious challenge in consideration of the great number of Albanian nationals living abroad. But, added Majko, all the political parties have achieved consensus on the issue.
He acquainted the British MPs with some options that are put on the negotiating table.
On their part, the British MPs voiced their will of cooperating with the Albanian authorities on issues of concern for the Albanian community there. They also reconfirmed Great Britain’s full support to Albania on its way of European integration./k.s/ /a.g/p.s./
