 |
| Milaim Makolli in his business 'Burek House' in Malmo, Sweeden |
 |
| Albanian employees in Burek House in Malmo |
Today he is a successful businessman there. While he decided for the 100th anniversary of independence to open "Burek House" (Pie House) a very popular restaurant in Malmo for both Albanians and foreigners. It is interesting that all of his employees are Albanians from all the regions, ALbania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Greece.
 |
| Albanian employees and Mërgim Mavraj performing the two-headed eagle Albanian symbol in the Burek House in Malmo |
The restaurant has traditional dishes of Albanian territories, but Milaimi would very much like the products to go in his hometown.
 |
| Burek House in Malmo |
"It would be very good for us because our traditional dishes would have a completely Albanian taste only when have been done by products coming from our country. "In the absence of these products, we have difficulties to probably achieve what we want with our cooking", he says in this interview to Albanian Diaspora.
Mr. Makolli, you have been living in Sweden for 30 years, where you are a gastronomic entrepreneur. Can you tell us about the difficulties of starting in a new country, why did you choose Sweden?
 |
| Albanian woman in Burek House in Malmo holding a baking pan filled with 'Tullumba' - Albanian traditional sweet. |
To be honest, more than 30 years have passed and today I am comparing the difficulties I had then in a country like Sweden and compared to the difficulties that are happening today in my hometown, Kosovo, but not far from us in the Albanian state. I can not find the right answer. Either way, it has been very difficult. The decision to leave the homeland did not come from desire, but from the violence and terror from the Serbian occupier in Kosovo at that time. The decision for me to leave Kosovo was by no means for me to leave to West and I did not do it, because my first refuge was my mother country, Albania, since 1991. When I said earlier the comparison between the place where I live today and my homeland or home country I can say that after my stay in Albania for 3 months and after that difficulty of living that was done in the time of transition that Albania had it was necessary to make the decision to find a place where I wanted to live and I sheltered my family. Sweden was selected, not that I knew anything about Sweden compared to other European countries that I had knowledge of but the reason was that during my stay in Albania my two brothers left Kosovo and took refuge in Sweden and after that, I got the decision to join and be close to them.
For years you have been managing Burek House in Malmo, Sweden, where the main theme of the service is the traditional dishes of Albania and Kosovo. 'You can find nowhere like the bread of the motherland' is the saying of Albanians abroad, how is this tradition and traditional dishes preserved?
I honestly tell you I have been dealing with businesses since 1996 when I managed to get a residence in Sweden and the right to work here. I mainly started with gastronomy, but I also had a travel agency and after some health problems, I rested for a long time, until 2012, when I decided to open a restaurant with traditional dishes called "Burek House" and exactly it turned out that it is on the 100th anniversary of the independence of Albania and there with the logo of our restaurant we placed the symbols of the 100th anniversary of the Independence of Albania. It is true that in our business have passed more than 40 employees, or better to call them associates, since 8 years they have all been Albanians where even today work about 13 employees in my businesses who are all Albanians, and from all the Albanian areas that I have in a way titled “Ethnic Albania” in miniature. We serve our traditional foods and produce, or cook these foods every day. Our chefs are from all over, as I said before and they are family members from Tetovo, we have from Prizren, Tirana, Tepelena and other parts of our Albanian lands.
 |
| A dish of the Burek Hoiuse in Malmo, Sweden |
For years you have been managing Burek House in Malmo, Sweden, where the main theme of the service is the traditional dishes of Albania and Kosovo. 'You can find nowhere like the bread of the motherland' is the saying of Albanians abroad, how is this tradition and traditional dishes preserved?
I honestly tell you I have been dealing with businesses since 1996 when I managed to get a residence in Sweden and the right to work here. I mainly started with gastronomy, but I also had a travel agency and after some health problems, I rested for a long time, until 2012, when I decided to open a restaurant with traditional dishes called "Burek House" and exactly it turned out that it is on the 100th anniversary of the independence of Albania and there with the logo of our restaurant we placed the symbols of the 100th anniversary of the Independence of Albania. It is true that in our business have passed more than 40 employees, or better to call them associates, since 8 years they have all been Albanians where even today work about 13 employees in my businesses who are all Albanians, and from all the Albanian areas that I have in a way titled “Ethnic Albania” in miniature. We serve our traditional foods and produce, or cook these foods every day. Our chefs are from all over, as I said before and they are family members from Tetovo, we have from Prizren, Tirana, Tepelena and other parts of our Albanian lands.
I am personally from Prishtina and I am an agro-economist by profession, but I have never been a gastronomer. In Sweden, my job brought me to become a gastronomer. In addition to this business, we have another restaurant were my associates from Tirana work. We work and provide consultancy on economic issues and work permits in cooperation with Swedish Migration. These are thanks to the children I have as a certified economist or editor, as well as my daughter who is studying Law.
Besides Albanians, tell us a little about the impressions of foreigners when they come to your restaurant, the interest in our products?
To be honest, at the beginning it was a bit difficult, but now we have reached the peak because our restaurant is frequented by communities from all over the world and at the time of COVID when gastronomy has declined all over Europe, good luck is that the service and quality of our food has made us not feel this crisis at all. On the contrary, this year we are better than last year. This is thanks to the work and dedication of the people who work tirelessly in this restaurant. Of course, this great work that has been done has left a very good impression on all the communities that frequent our restaurant and for that, I am very grateful first of all to the staff.
Do you use Albanian products in your cooking?
I can honestly say that we work with dairy and meat products which are the main, and unfortunately neither Albania nor Kosovo has managed to export these products abroad. These have a shortage in Sweden in addition to those that come agricultural products, that the moment they come to Sweden we anyway put them in our kitchen. Why are not these products in the Swedish market, like dairy and meat products, I would like you to see in Albania and Kosovo and everywhere where Albanian areas are. It would be very good for us because our traditional dishes would have a completely Albanian taste only when they have products coming from our country. We in the absence of these products have difficulty perhaps achieving what we desire with our cooking.
What is the current situation in Sweden due to the pandemic, how many difficulties do you have in your business?
Sweden has been the only country to have pursued a policy different from all European countries and there has been no total closure. Recently I can say that the pandemic has started to be much more severe than before. Of course, the Swedish policies that has maintained throughout the year have had a positive impact on the economy, but now the situation has worsened in health and we hope that this will end as soon as possible, otherwise, it will have a negative impact here as well. The Swedes do not condemn but recommend. They stand out as obedient people and as soon as the government gives a recommendation they strictly respect it. So far I can say that they have succeeded, but it does not mean that they have not already surrendered in the end.
Regarding the Albanian community in Sweden, how connected and organized are the Albanians in Malmo?
I can say that there have been times when they have been very well organized. Organizations have also been affected by the pandemic and have lost contact perhaps with cultural or communicative organizations as has happened before. Here in Malmo there is the cultural center that once was and is closed. There we communicated more. There was a network of Albanian businesses before, where I was also a participant, it seems that the activity of this network is still closed, and I do not have any information if any activity is taking place. Yes, people in individual ways work, act and there is a large part who have achieved their successes. What is more important is that the second generation has managed to be educated and I can say that there is no institution in the Swedish state from the municipality, mayor, or member of Parliament to the lowest levels that there are no Albanians employed. I can say that in every institution you can find that you have Albanians, engineers, police, lawyers, etc.
Do you keep in touch with the Homeland, do you visit it often?
We are in Kosovo and Albania every year, we usually spend our Summer holidays in Albania. This year we have been hindered by the pandemic, trying to protect ourselves and others, or vice versa, the very fact that we work with businesses and Albanians shows that we are very much connected to our homeland. I always adhere to a saying: I am Albanian, I am proud to be Albanian and by valuing myself I can value the other. In this respect and the Swedes know that I will never become a Swede, but I will be grateful to the Swedish state for all my life. It is the second place I would work and fight for. This has made my kids get to where they are at the peak of success. I told them, Vlora Makolli, my daughter last year was the representative of the Swedish government at the United Nations, and this selection was made by Sweden, this opportunity was given by Sweden. I am grateful to this state that does not discriminate but gives all opportunities to the ones who will work and act.