Mission & Purpose

The Volt Kosova Blogs is more than just an information platform, it is a youth-driven think tank. Our mission is to:

• Give youth a voice in shaping Kosovo’s future within a European context.

• Highlight professional insights from diverse academic fields.

• Bridge the gap between Kosovo and Europe through critical thinking.

• Offer a stage for young people to publish their work on a serious platform.

Read about why we think Volt Kosova is important here

Before writing your op-ed/blog read our guidelines here first

Giving the Diaspora a Real Voice 

Kosovo has a massive diaspora. Almost everyone here has family in Germany, Switzerland, or the Benelux. But until now, they have been politically fragmented, sending money home, but having no say in how their home is governed.

Volt is changing this by using our unique Pan-European structure. We don't just ask for votes; we offer direct representation at every level where decisions are made:

• In the European Parliament: Our MEPs speak for Kosovars because we are part of the same party.

• In National and Regional Parliaments: From the Bundestag to city councils in the Netherlands, Volt representatives are accessible allies for the Kosovo diaspora.

We are building a system where a Kosovar living in Berlin is not just an "outsider," but a key link between politics in Pristina and Brussels.

Solving the Recognition Puzzle from the Inside

We know that Kosovo’s status is still debated in some corners of Europe. Traditional diplomacy often hits a wall here. Volt Kosovo is taking a different approach: we are fixing it from the inside.

We are currently working to enshrine the recognition of Kosovo as a sovereign country directly into the official Volt Europa policy program.

This is a game-changer. It means that as Volt grows across the continent, every chapter (even in non-recognizing states) will be aligned on Kosovo’s sovereignty. We are building a unified European front for Kosovo, one party member at a time.

Allies, Not Just Neighbors

European integration shouldn't wait for a treaty signature. We are accelerating the process by collaborating directly with national Volt chapters across Europe right now.

We are coordinating joint initiatives to normalize Kosovo’s image and fight for integration today. When our colleagues in France or Spain speak about Kosovo, they won't rely on old stereotypes; they will rely on the real-time insights and partnership they have with us. We are turning "foreign policy" into "domestic teamwork."

We Are the Youngest Europeans

Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe. Walk through the streets of Pristina, and you feel an energy you can’t find anywhere else. But for too long, this energy has been trapped by old politics.

Volt Kosovo is the political home for this generation. We are moving away from the ethnic tensions of the past and focusing on the challenges of the future: digital rights, climate action, and true social mobility.

The Bottom Line

This March, we are launching our next phase. We are fundraising to build a professional team that can execute these strategies.

Supporting Volt Kosovo is not charity. It is an investment in a Europe that is whole, free, and united. It is a signal that the youngest, most optimistic Europeans will no longer be left behind.

Join us. Help us color Kosovo purple.

Italy-Albania: A Cynical Asylum Solution

The Italy-Albania deal, currently under intense scrutiny , exemplifies the worst of this trend. Italian PM Giorgia Meloni has touted the agreement as a bold solution to the nation’s migration pressures, establishing asylum centres in Albania to process applicants outside Italy’s borders. Under this bilateral agreement, migrants intercepted en route to Italy are transferred to the centres in Albania if they meet specific criteria: 

• they must originate from countries classified by the government as “safe”, where individuals are presumed not to require international protection, and 

• must not belong to vulnerable groups such as unaccompanied minors, women and individuals with health or age-related vulnerabilities, as provided by the recast EU Reception Conditions Directive (2024/1346/EU).

The agreement primarily targets adult male migrants who are supposedly subjected to an accelerated 28-day asylum procedure. Approved asylum claims result in transfer to Italy, while rejections lead to deportation from Albania to their countries of origin. Reports indicate that these centers, funded with €67.5 million—just a small portion of the estimated €680 million projected to be spent over the next five years—using Italian taxpayer money, are poorly equipped to manage the influx of applicants and face legal uncertainties that may require clarification from the European Court of Justice.

Beyond its logistical failings, the plan appears to be a cynical attempt to placate anti-immigration voters rather than a smart solution. By outsourcing the asylum procedure, Meloni shifts the problem out of sight, setting a dangerous unilateral precedent that undermines the EU’s collective ability to address migration challenges effectively. 

Denmark's Dual Outsourcing Strategy: Kosovo and Rwanda

Denmark’s approach to penal outsourcing, while less internationally reported, is similarly concerning. In 2021, Denmark signed a deal to send 300 prisoners— convicted in Denmark and slated for deportation— to Kosovo. Unlike the Italy-Albania arrangement, Denmark’s prison deal with Kosovo is not explicitly focused on offshoring societal issues wholesale but rather addresses a narrow category of deportable prisoners. Yet, key concerns remain. 

How can Denmark’s legal system credibly monitor and support a system hundreds of kilometers away, while ensuring the same standards of prisoner care and human rights? Such outsourcing of justice and the exportation of prisoners is merely a temporary fix to avoid domestic investment in a long-term penal reform. The deal risks isolating prisoners from their families, lawyers, and Danish society, undermining the rehabilitative purpose of incarceration. Rehabilitation itself —proven to reduce recidivism and enhance public safety— may be at risk in an area where legal, cultural, and linguistic barriers may further isolate prisoners. 

The Broader Risks of Outsourcing Shared Challenges

The EU’s  current trend of outsourcing policies has troubling implications, reflecting a shift in how member states unilaterally address shared challenges. As Italy and Denmark’s strategies exemplify, the exportation of responsibilities to less affluent neighbours not only create further occasions for division within the EU, but they also dramatically undermine the continent’s moral leadership. Arguably, such agreements often push the limits of legality, jeopardising the principle of non-refoulement as enshrined in Article 33 of the UN Refugee Convention. International asylum law seeks to prohibit practices that could result in inhumane or degrading treatment— a risk inherent in outsourcing justice or migration management to countries with less resources or weaker legal safeguards.

But perhaps most concerning, these deals erode the trust in the EU as a unified body committed to shared values. The abdication of responsibility is merely a symptom of the EU’s dysfunctional governance, with unanimity voting at its core, that hampers its consensus-building capacity and prevents EU action in principle. When wealthier nations offload their responsibilities, they not only strain their relationships with less affluent neighbours but also send a message that solidarity is secondary to political expediency. This is hardly a successful strategy to bring the Western Balkans into the EU.

A Federal Alternative: Leading With Values

The alternative is clear: Europe must adopt a federal, EU-wide approach to migration and penal reform, as well as on many other contentious issues. Shared infrastructure, funding, and oversight would standardise practices and relieve individual member states from shouldering disproportionate burdens. A cohesive system should prioritise humane solutions like rehabilitation in penal systems and equitable asylum processing in accordance with our rule of law and European values. In other words, if member states continue to push for bilateral agreements that disperse and run counter to European values, they not only riddle the effectiveness of EU treaties and existing legislation, but also hinder the development of new, federal approaches.

The EU’s strength and its global projection should be centred around its ability to lead with values, from pioneering human rights protection to championing democratic governance. Outsourcing societal responsibilities amounts to sweeping the dust under the carpet, and it is a betrayal of its legacy. If the EU is to remain a moral leader it must confront its challenges with transparency, solidarity and a commitment to truly European solutions, which are the only way to forge policies that reflect its ideals. No member state should be left to carry these burdens alone. 

A year ago today, more than a thousand terrorists from Hamas attacked Israel in the early morning, with thousands of victims, mostly civilians, and 251 hostages. The largest-ever terrorist attack on Israeli soil.

This massacre destroyed what should have been scenes of joy: a music festival and families enjoying breakfast in their homes. Today we commemorate the victims of this terrible act and repeat the demand that the remaining hostages should be freed immediately. 

A cycle of trauma

This attack is part of a long cycle of trauma. And since then the suffering of innocent people has continued. Israel's counter attack on Hamas in Gaza and in the West Bank has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people, including many children, as retribution for a crime in which they played no part. So the cycle continues. 

Vengeance does not bring resolution, let alone peace. As the conflict spills into Lebanon, hundreds of thousands of more people are radicalised and taught to hate their neighbours. We now see this cycle not only repeating, but also enforcing itself again, as we are on the brink of further escalation between Iran and Israel. (See also our previous statement about how war is spreading in the Middle East.)

Trauma creates more trauma. It takes decades to heal intergenerational pain. There can only be safety, stability, and peace for everyone living in the region when the cycle of trauma is stopped, but that seems farther away than ever before. Breaking the cycle and finding the strength for slowly rebuilding trust is incredibly difficult.

Still, against all odds, we have seen people from all backgrounds standing together. We have seen Muslims and Jews stand together to protect aid convoys traveling to Gaza. We have seen them protest together against injustice. We see several powerful initiatives where people and politicians try to build bridges and show there is only one side to choose: human rights.

The role of the EU

Only when we truly enforce human rights without exception can we play a serious role. The EU should unite its voice and demand a permanent ceasefire, support the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, sanction those who break the law and protect all victims. (See also our previous statement.)

The EU can also help mediate to normalise relations between Israel and its Arab neighbours. We can train mediation professionals who help reconciling shared trauma in local communities through small but real steps. Always in collaboration with the local communities and depending on their needs, we can help build good governance, services and connections and support reconstruction, development and investment, in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon. 

Everyone deserves safety, but it can’t be provided by tolerating autocrats who thrive on fear and hatred, only by supporting those who courageously choose the side of human rights. That is a world where the Middle East and its diverse communities can thrive in safety and compassion. Never again should really be never again.

Reinier van Lanschot
Member of the European Parliament

Volt is a pan-European movement and political party operating in over 30 countries in Europe. We believe that cooperation between countries is the key to solving the challenges we face today: whether it’s fighting against the climate crisis, protecting the idea of liberal Democracy, or ensuring a fair healthcare system for everyone.

Volt acts on the local, regional, national, and European level.  Each of these levels plays a unique role in our daily lives and this is exactly our strength – being active and organised at every level all over Europe inside and outside the EU - in short:  everywhere where the decisions are made that affect the lives of all citizens of Europe.  With our pan-European approach we aim to build bridges between our societies by fighting discrimination of all sorts, by bringing in best practices from all over Europe and by working towards our long term vision of a Federal Republic of Europe.

Collaborating across borders and communities

Between Switzerland and Kosovo is a special bond. Being one of the first countries to recognise its independence in 2008, Switzerland demonstrated its strong support for the young nation and played a significant role in Kosovo's international standing and its path to European integration. Switzerland has also been involved in peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo and has invested in various sectors of Kosovo such as infrastructure, energy, and agriculture. The Albanian diaspora in Switzerland is one of the biggest in Europe and has played a crucial role in promoting economic ties between the two countries. They often filled labour shortages in various sectors of the Swiss economy, particularly in construction, agriculture, and hospitality. Also by establishing successful businesses in Switzerland they contributed to the Swiss economy creating jobs. 

The Albanian diaspora has been a valuable asset to Switzerland economically but also culturally, bringing in new perspectives, traditions, and customs to the cultural diversity of Switzerland. EAZ, a Swiss-Albanian rapper and singer, has achieved significant success in the Swiss music scene -  to just name one. His song "Juicy" was the first Swiss-German title to climb the charts in Germany in the last 50 years. Also the film industry gained a lot with Swiss-Albanian filmmakers. The yearly Kino Kosova film festival has added a lot to the cultural life in Switzerland building bridges between the two countries by exploring themes of identity, migration and the Albanian experience. And last but not least, also the Swiss Sports industry has gained a lot from Albanian migration. Football players like Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka became indispensable for the Swiss national football team. 

While the Albanian diaspora has made significant contributions to Swiss society, it has also faced various challenges. The conservative part of Switzerland still treats  members of the Albanian diaspora and their descendents as outsiders, with Albanian youth still facing prejudices in their daily lives, ranging from slurs or straight up discrimination in areas such as housing, education, and employment.These discriminatory experiences can lead to feelings of not belonging and alienation for some members of the diaspora, as balancing Albanian and Swiss identities can be a challenge for some. Others have successfully integrated into Swiss society and overcome these difficulties.

Addressing these issues is one integral part of the collaboration of Volt Kosova and Volt Switzerland: Volt strives for inclusion and equality across all of Europe, which is why we want to bring awareness to this situation. Apart from the change of mind that needs to happen in Swiss heads, we also want for example to modernise the naturalisation process. This is why we are supporting the Democracy Initiative that aims to unify and lower the very high requirements for obtaining Swiss citizenship. Another aspect of our collaboration consists of bringing the Albanian diaspora closer to their country of origin by connecting our cause on a pan-European level. 

A shared goal of closer European integration

While Kosovo and Switzerland are both not in the EU, they are still integral parts of Europe, sharing a common cultural heritage and common history. While there are still a lot of differences in our respective relations with the rest of Europe, Volt Kosovo and Volt Switzerland both share the same goal of a closer European integration for their countries.

Switzerland, on one hand, already has strong ties to the EU and has greatly profited from it. But there are still a lot of policy areas where Switzerland needs even closer collaboration. A common energy supply system, for example, has become more important than ever, since the Russian aggression against Ukraine has started.  Also, the European educational programme Erasmus+ as well as the research programme Horizon2020 are indispensable for Swiss educational and research institutions. On top of that, the Swiss-EU relations are under constant attack by the isolationist forces that have dominated the discourse for the last 30 years in the country. This is why Switzerland is in dire need of a clearly pro-European stronghold. Volt Switzerland aims to become this stronghold, which is why we launched the Europe Initiative in April 2024 as part of the Europe Alliance, aiming for the relations to Europe to be added to the constitution.

Kosovo, on the other hand, is the youngest state on the continent and is surrounded by EU accession candidates. While Kosovo itself has also applied for an EU-membership before,  it has not received the official accession candidate status so far. Starting this year, Kosovar citizens can now travel freely without requiring a Visa into the Schengen Area, which has been a great success for the rights of Kosovars. It is obvious that only the European integration of Kosovo and the rest of the Balkan countries can guarantee long-term freedom, security and prosperity to the region. But also from the perspective of the EU it is crucial to bring home the countries of the West Balkan and therefore stabilising the EU’s front yard. Through Volt Kosova, we aim to bring Kosovo closer to its political and economic European integration, to support reforms sthat improve the lives of Kosovar citizens in the country and abroad and to create opportunities for young people in Kosovo by building a strong economy and a clean environment for future generations, so that they actually feel that they are a part of the continent.

Stay tuned for more

Being part of one and the same political party, Volt Switzerland and Volt Kosova naturally share the same values and structures. The explicit collaboration between the two Volt chapters makes sure that these common values and political goals of Volt are achieved by actively promoting the strong ties between the two countries and by raising awareness of the chances and challenges the Albanian community faces in Switzerland.

Together we are organising a flyering action to raise awareness of this collaboration at the Kino Kosova film festival that takes place in Bern from the 11th to 15th of September. We create collaborative posts on social media and organise an event for the international migration day, addressing the several issues faced by the Albanian diaspora as well as Kosovo itself.

What can you do?

We believe that each of us can make a difference. If you share Volt’s values, join us! You can contribute from Switzerland, Kosovo or wherever you are, either locally by being an active member of our pan-European community in your country of residence or through online involvement, by helping us with our campaigns and projects. You can follow us on social media and spread our content or become an active member and produce some content yourself for us. We are working on different policies in Kosovo and Switzerland. For more, check out our websites and connect with us on social media or in one of our local events. The future of a united Europe, where Kosovo and Switzerland are actively involved is in our hands. Together, we can make this future come true.

Volt Kosova is more than just a political movement; it is a vision for a brighter, more inclusive future. With our foundational documents nearly finalized and ready for submission, we are poised to take a significant step forward. Our commitment to equality, human dignity, and solidarity forms the backbone of our initiatives, ensuring that our efforts resonate not only locally but also across the broader European stage through our alignment with Volt Europa.

Why Volt Kosova?

Our primary goal is to unite the Albanian population across the EU, leveraging our deep cultural, linguistic, and historical ties to advocate for democratic values, social justice, and regional cooperation. By joining forces with Volt Europa, we aim to amplify our impact, fostering greater unity among Albanians across the continent.

Our Goals

1. Democratic Engagement: Establishing a robust NGO to promote democratic values and civic engagement within Kosova.

2. Regional Cooperation: Strengthening ties with Albanian communities across the EU, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose.

3. Progressive Policies: Advocating for policies that promote social justice, equality, and regional integration.

Join Us

As we embark on this exciting journey, we invite you to join us. Whether you are in Kosova or part of the Albanian diaspora, your participation and support are crucial. Together, we can build a movement that not only represents our shared values but also drives meaningful change in our society.

How You Can Help

• Become a Member: Join Volt Kosova and be part of a progressive movement that stands for unity and positive change.

• Volunteer: Contribute your time and skills to help us build a strong foundation and achieve our goals.

• Donate: Support our initiatives and help us reach more communities.

Volt Kosova is about to take a significant step forward, and we need your support to make it happen. Let’s unite, collaborate, and create a future where democracy, equality, and solidarity thrive.