Albanians who emigrated and stayed in Puglia, Italy after the Albanian exodus of 30 years ago, today are entrepreneurs and own small companies in various fields, such as construction, hospitality, agriculture, trade and services.

The data of the Chamber of Business in Puglia show that after 30 years they are not just workers and employees but have established their business where during 2020 are registered 1269 Albanian companies.

According to these data, almost 40% of the total enterprises are under construction, mainly they specialize in wall renovation (314) and building renovation (109). There are about 130, almost 100 agricultural enterprises in trade and then co-ownership services (45) and per person (34). There is also no lack of studies in civil engineering and architecture (4 in total) or software production (2).

The Albanians who stayed in Puglia, who did not continue their journey to the north of Italy – like most of them – have been integrated, and have found a suitable ground, favored by centuries-old trade relations with Albania, the first Apulian trade partner. In fact, in the fourth quarter of 2020, imports reached 211.6 million (242.5 in 2019) and exports reached 199.2, versus 229 in 2019 (2.2 billion in 2020 trade between Italy and Albania).

In fact, the mass emigration of Albanians to Italy in the 1990s was not the first, but the eighth. The first dates back to 1440 after the national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu who due to his alliance against the Turks had an entire city as a gift from Orsini, San Marzano.

“Integration towards important socio-economic roles is an objective achieved by Albanian youth who focus everything on study and training,” says Luigi Triggiani, head of the Puglia Chamber of Commerce.

“All this would not be achievable if our community had not been able to integrate into Italian society,” says Albanian diplomat Genta Mburimi.