Baraliu: Citizens are leaving Kosovo because they have lost hope for a better tomorrow

Over the four years from 2018 to 2022, 156,080 people have left Kosovo, and according to the Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Pristina, Mazllum Baraliu, people are leaving due to low living standards, economic insecurity, political instability, and the main factor is the lost hope for a better tomorrow.

Baraliu emphasizes that the lack of hope for a better life in Kosovo is the main cause of emigration, especially among the youth.

"Imagine, Kosovo is still the only country in Europe, as far as I know, that does not have health insurance. Every family thinks about their children, their members, and even older people, their parents, how to cope with the standards we have, which are among the lowest in Europe. Economic development is nonexistent, foreign investments have been declining since 2008, when independence was declared, and the instability between Belgrade and Pristina damages both Belgrade and Serbia, as well as the residents of Serbia and Kosovo because the people suffer due to the disagreements of politicians", Baraliu said for Kosovo Online.

He recalls that in 2015, a large number of people left Kosovo, and among them, the majority were young people.

"Even those who had good salaries, because I think the main reason for leaving is the unclear policies, both domestic and foreign, what these governments, starting from the first one, are doing. It's not just about one government, what its goal for the future is, what vision they have, and whether they govern properly or not. It seems that the people did not rate it positively, so the lost hope means that everything is lost. There are other factors, economic ones for sure, but not only that; hope is the main factor, lost hope. The healthcare system, and the education system that has not been consolidated. There is a lot that has influenced and is, unfortunately, the lack of finding a strategy on how our governments should move forward", Baraliu said.

Economic experts also warn of an increased population exodus from Kosovo this year, following the visa liberalization that came into effect on January 1.