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Why doesn't Albania give the diaspora Albanian passports and citizenship?

2026-04-16 10:48:00, Opinione Kreshnik Spahiu

The Albanian diaspora is the only one on the planet that is not given a passport based on its nationality.

Did you know that a German, Italian, Greek, Serbian, Croatian, Turkish, English, wherever they live, if they have German, Italian, Greek, Serbian, Croatian, Turkish, English parents, enjoys the right to citizenship by law according to the international principle "jus sanguinis" (right of blood) → they receive it from their parents.

Did you know that many countries use the words nationality and citizenship interchangeably:

French: nationality

Italian: nazionalità

Spanish: nacionalidad

English: nationality

For centuries, the right to citizenship arose from nationality, because we had nation-states.

Today, a person can have several passports, but one nationality and basic citizenship must be based on nationality.

The Albanian diaspora is the strangest on the planet. They have several passports, but not the Albanian one.

But how can you call yourself an Albanian diaspora when Albania rejects your Albanian name?

Did you know that Bulgaria in Albania has given thousands of Bulgarian passports to the people of Dibra in Gillobord because they claim that their "great-grandfathers" 1,000 years ago were Bulgarian?

Why doesn't the Albanian diaspora seek citizenship and a passport from Albania due to blood and ethnic ties?

In 2011, I personally asked Rama and Berisha to vote in parliament on the draft law: "Passport for every Albanian."

Both have been and are against granting Albanian passports to Albanians in the diaspora. Berisha even issued a Council of Ministers' Decision in 2012 on granting citizenship and never implemented it.

Rama and Berisha had electoral reasons, because if they received passports, they would have the right to vote, but they could have lined up, leaving 20 million voters out of control.

While Rama and Berisha, on the one hand, are concerned about the party, on the other hand, Albania's interests are being harmed.

A small Albania with 3 million inhabitants has no geopolitical, diplomatic, military or economic importance with such a small market.

A greater Albania with 20 million Albanian citizens would change every regional balance and we would become the superior nation in the Balkans.

Despite all the benefits, Albania must respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of every Albanian who has Albanian parents and must recognize their right to citizenship.

The Albanian passport is not a product of the government or presidential preferences of the moment.

Yesterday, the passport was given to the Mayor of New York as a sign of gratitude as a friend of the Albanian diaspora in the US.

Poor Eric Adams, if he knew that those 100,000 Albanians in New York City are not recognized for their right to a passport, he would be ashamed to obtain citizenship before them.

The Albanian diaspora is still unfortunate in that it does not have a serious mother state that protects its nation like Germany, Poland, Austria, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Croatia or any other country in the world.

We still have a diaspora that Albania denies the name Albanian./ CNA