On 2 September 2015, State Secretary Jörg Asmussen welcomed Arban Abrashi, Kosovo’s Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs for talks. Topics under discussion included the social and economic situation in Kosovo and the current high level of migration to Germany.
Minister Abrashi and State Secretary Asmussen agreed that skills development and the training of people in Kosovo, coupled with the creation of sustainable jobs in the private sector, are vital to the country’s future. In this regard, Jörg Asmussen stressed: “For the people of Kosovo, application for asylum in Germany is not an appropriate path towards a new future. In the vast majority of cases, asylum seekers from Kosovo do not have the right to asylum. For us, this is a fundamental right that is reserved for people who are subject to persecution.”
Asmussen acknowledged the important measures and reforms which the Government of Kosovo has already initiated. In particular, the setting up of a public employment service, which is due to begin work shortly, is a key step. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs will be happy to provide any necessary advice in this area, he added. To this end, the State Secretary proposed further talks. Asmussen: “It is important that people are able to see the prospects available to themselves and their families and can play a part in shaping the future of Kosovo.”