Andi Balla

Writing about #demographics, #SEE-EU. Researcher @LeibnizIOS, PhD Cand. @uni_regensburg. Own views.

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

Several reports released recently show emigration from Albania is not ebbing. Back in 2023, a study I authored found 13% of working-age adults had plans to emigrate within a year. That number hasn't hanged much, based on these 2025 reports. It should concern policy makers.

[Revista Monitor @revista_monitor]

Një në tre shqiptarë planifikon emigrimin, puna dhe jetesa më e mirë arsyet kryesore
https://t.co/PeKB0dPWc7

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

If you missed the #IOSAnnualConference, the conference report is now out on @hsozkult: "Getting Old in Eastern Europe: Social, Political and Economic Dimensions of Ageing in the Past and Present".
https://t.co/JLnXaDa169

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

Great work, and an excellent example of using AI to bring easy access to pre-2000 newspapers in the region. Very useful for academic reasearchers and the public at large. I hope to see more open projects like this. Thank you.

[Kushtrim Visoka @kushtrimvisoka]

The 'Bujku' platform and dataset is now live: https://t.co/hYjH0Y7jh8. It allows users to explore and search articles from the daily newspaper ‘Bujku’ (1991-1998). Here's what you need to know. 🧵

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

Albania cannot stop the pull factor (being next to advanced economies that are increasingly opening their labor markets), but it can address push factors by making strategic decisions and having an inclusive debate. My most recent thoughts on this: 2/ https://t.co/jnQi1bH0xa

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

Emigration, people leaving the country, has jumped to being the top concern among Albania's resident population, according to the latest barometer by @EuronewsAlbania. Findings reflect the latest wave of out-migration and its impact on society. 1/
https://t.co/00AcrJbyI1

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

@gazikap Në Shqipëri nuk a tren për udhëtarë. Po bëhet reklamë e madhe për trenin modern Tiranë Rinas Durrës, por është në ndërtim. Një nga kritikat më të mëdha të turistëve është mungesa e një transporti publik të parametrave bashkëkohorë. Uroj të jetë shtysë për përmirësim të shpejtë.

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

A renewed emigration wave and an extreme shift in birth rates is causing a lot of worry and debate in Albania. Read more about it in my latest post in our Transforming Anxieties of Ageing in #SEE blog:
https://t.co/jnQi1bH0xa

[Leibniz-Institut für Ost- & Südosteuropaforschung @LeibnizIOS]

#Albania's demographic crisis is deepening as birth rates fall & emigration rises, leading to an aging population and calls for urgent reforms. More by @AndiBalla (#LeibnizIOS) for our project on #ageing in Southeastern Europe, funded by @VolkswagenSt. ⬇️
https://t.co/UqVCJnptoD

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

Very happy our @LeibnizIOS project website recently went live. Folks who worked on it did a fantastic job. Drop by to see progress and upcoming blog posts. The project has superb teams in Regensburg, Graz, Budapest and Sofia. Lots of good work coming. https://t.co/WR5JZMYZr8

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

52% of MDs and healthcare workers aged 24-40 are looking to emigrate from Albania, part regional and wider migration trends in #SEE. One of several findings in important 2023 study by #IlirGëdeshi & #RussellKing. (in Albanian) via @zeriamerikes: https://t.co/T7wuTzUkDX

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

2/ The communist state's pro-natalist propaganda and pride in the demographics of a youthful and growing population seem to have continued well into the late 1980s -- even as the country experienced economic misery, food rationing, lack of productive jobs, etc.

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

1/ Going through late communism population statistics in Albania as part of my #DemographicNarratives research. Found very detailed annual data in booklets that went from quasi-secret in 1980 to bilingual books (🇦🇱🇬🇧) peppered with Enver Hoxha propaganda quotes in the late 1980s.

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

Enjoyed attending @CanadainAlbania embassy reception in Tirana with civil society leaders and others last night. Happy to see increased presence of Canada in projects in Albania. Thank you Amb. @Elissa_Golberg and rest of team for the invite and discussions.

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

Fola sot për Ilirian Agollin e @zeriamerikes mbi sondazhin kombëtar të @AIIS_Albania për çështjet e migrimin. Mirënjohës për mbulimin e shkëlqyer të konferencës rajonale të mbajtur në bashkëpunim me @HSSde, ku u prezantuan gjetjet e u diskutua rreth tyre. https://t.co/hEV0HLb4Fg

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

I spoke today to @zeriamerikes' Ilirian Agolli on the findings of @AIIS_Albania's April 2023 national survey on migration and future trends. Grateful for the excellent coverage of the regional conference with @HSSde, where the findings were presented. https://t.co/G6AVenYV3X

[Leibniz-Institut für Ost- & Südosteuropaforschung @LeibnizIOS]

War against 🇺🇦 has raised fears that #Russia could further destabilize peace process in #BosniaHerzegovina by using its influence in Republika Srpska. How did the interplay between 🇷🇺 & RS leadership develop? Analysis by @GueudetSophie on our blog: https://t.co/J8gX0A0WP1 #BiH

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

@emilborica @MeetTheTwoJakes Ku bëhet aplikimi‽ 😆🙏

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

As I often point out, current demographic woes in Southeastern Europe are regional in nature.

[Ian Bancroft @bancroftian]

#Bosnia and #Herzegovina is facing a huge population outflow, and the natural increase is also negative. For example, in the #Tuzla Canton there were more people born during the war than there are today. https://t.co/Fj69RxeHJs

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

@izenku She's got the right roots for leading a rebellion. 😉 Joking aside, what a tech soap opera.

[Andi Balla @AndiBalla]

Going to spend a lot of time in here, hopefully, in the coming months going through late communism and early transition documents on Albania's demographics. First impressions: Some of the nicest public service employees I've met in Albania.