Muhaxhiri: The US decision to suspend visas will not have a major impact on Kosovo

Political analyst Artan Muhaxhiri assessed that the US decision to suspend immigrant visas for 75 countries will not have a major impact on Kosovo, given that the Kosovo diaspora is predominantly oriented toward European countries.

Speaking to Kosovo Online, Muhaxhiri explained that the measure in question is primarily statistical and symbolic because, as he says, President Trump has an idea of fighting immigration.

“I do not believe it carries a political message. The countries it applies to were selected based on high levels of family reunification during immigration and GDP levels. Kosovo appeared in both tables. Kosovo is a very small country and I do not believe it can in any way influence the US immigration system, compared to other countries that have 50 or 100 million inhabitants. This is marketing and a tool for Trump to convince his own voters that he is globally fighting immigration,” Muhaxhiri emphasized.

Asked to what extent this decision affected the leaders of the countries concerned, the analyst pointed out that political leaders and the media have made a clear distinction and stressed that this decision is linked exclusively to immigration, not to tourist visas.

“People can still travel, study, or visit the United States. The situation is different when it comes to immigration, but the figures are very small. I do not believe this decision will have a major impact on Kosovo. Kosovo emigration is mostly connected to Europe, specifically Germany, Switzerland, and the Scandinavian countries, while the United States is much lower on that list of destinations. Initially, this decision surprised many, but after it was explained, it did not significantly affect the political or public sphere,” Muhaxhiri concluded.