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| Besnik Kelmendi aned Angela Merkel |
The second diaspora summit held in Tirana was an excellent opportunity for Albanian diaspora personalities to give their contribute and ideas based on their experience gained in the countries they live in the favor of the Albania's development.
Besnik Kelmendi is an Albanian, who has been living in Germany for more than 25 years. He is an activist and today is one of the most heard voices in Germany's largest political force - CDU. As an officer at the Ministry of Interior of the Rhine Land of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), he is very active in the integration of his compatriots in this country.Besnik Kelmendi went to the age of 12 in Germany as a refugee with his family. He quickly learned the language there and became integrated into German society. In 2002 he also received German citizenship. Kelmendi started his successful career at a young age.
After finishing the school in 1995, he started his professional training as Kaufman for managing the bureau at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) in Essen. After finishing his vocational education, he began working at REWE, where he continued his qualification and in 1999 became the leader of one of the REWE branches in Essen. In 2002 he moved to LIDL as the leader of one of the largest branches of this firm in Essen. At this time he continued his specialization in this field.
Since March last year, Kelmendi is an official of the Ministry of Interior of the Land of North Rhine and Westphalia. In the Spring of 2014 he became a CDU member in Essen. In the same year he became part of the CDU's "Union Migrants" in the Kreisverband of the CDU in Essen.
In December 2016 he was part of the XIX Federal Congress of the CDU as one of his organizing associates, where Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel was re-elected as a candidate for CDU chancellor. Since February 2017 Besnik Kelmendi is a member of the CDU chair in Essen-Überruhr as secretary of the protocol and from June of the same year he becomes also a member of the CDU chairmanship for Ruhrhalbinsel.
On February 21, 2017, he was elected as a delegate for the District Conference and the Essen City District Conference. Besnik Kelmendi is also president of the "German-Albanian Integration Union" and deputy chairman of the Federation of Albanian Associations in Germany. Kelmendi also participates in the Essen City Round Table and at the "Political Forum Ruhr e. V".
Kelmendi was also present at the Diaspora Summit where he held his word about the vote on immigrants. In an interview to Albanian Telegrhaphyc Agency, he states that Diaspora's vote is something that is needed and can be easily accomplished.
He points out that the impressions of the Summit are extremely positive. "My participation in the summit gave me the opportunity not only to get closer to the serious work the Albanian state has made to approach its diaspora, with the Albanians everywhere in the world, offering them an intimate contact opportunity with the country of origin, but my presence in this Summit gave me the opportunity to meet Albanian friends and activists, known and unknown before, from different countries and share with them thoughts and experiences, in a few words, my impressions were very good," he said.
Regarding the diaspora vote he spoke at the Summit, Kelmendi states that, "I spoke on two issues: the possibility of Albanian voting abroad and reserved seats for the diaspora in the parliament. Regarding the reserved seats, I say that we should first involve Albanian experts in Diaspora in working groups at the institutions of the Albanian state, in the Government and in the Assembly. This is a work that is easily feasible and very useful for our country. Here we do not need to put any restriction on the number of those who would cooperate. Regarding the diaspora involvement in the general elections I say that the Albanians are late, but it is good that this issue has been posed as a problem now in order for the Albanian migrants to have the opportunities to acomplish this right. Diaspora itself has changed, in quality.
Most of it does not consist of refugees, but of good citizens integrated into economic and political life in the respective countries, so they now certainly have what to say and what to do. For years, this problem has been raised whether Albanians living abroad or not should participate in the elections. The answer has always been positive, but so far this elementary work for Albanian democracy is not regulated by law. No one contests the diaspora's right to vote, but, on the other hand, for more than a quarter of a century nothing has been done. I think it is time to regulate the issue of diaspora vote by law. I think the realization of their right to vote is something that should be realized as soon as possible, since the next elections."
Regarding the Albanian community in Germany, Kelmendi states that "our community has always been a good example".