Imri Demelezi (born 1985) is a

Kosovar Albanian The Albanians of Kosovo (, ), also commonly called Kosovo Albanians, Kosovan Albanians or Kosovars (), constitute the largest ethnic group in Kosovo. Kosovo Albanians belong to the ethnic Albanian sub-group of Ghegs, who inhabit the north of A ...

agroeconomist and current deputy minister of agriculture, forestry and rural development of the

Republic of Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

. He completed his undergraduate studies in agroeconomics at the

University of Prishtina The University of Pristina () is a public university located in Pristina, Kosovo. It is the institution that emerged after the disestablishment of the University of Pristina (1969–1999) as a result of the Kosovo War. The inauguration o ...

and obtained a master's degree in sustainable agricultural and rural development from the

University of Bologna The University of Bologna (, abbreviated Unibo) is a Public university, public research university in Bologna, Italy. Teaching began around 1088, with the university becoming organised as guilds of students () by the late 12th century. It is the ...

in Italy. He also completed a specialization in agriculture at CIHEAM, IAMB, in Bari, Italy. He formerly worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Prishtina, and lectured at UBT College prior to his current position. Demelezi is doing his PhD at The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna and is part of Working Group Trans disciplinary Systems Research. A recent informative meeting at the University of Pristina aimed to strengthen academic and scientific ties between Kosovo and Norway in the field of bioeconomy. Notable attendees included Rector Qerim Qerimi and Mr. Imri Demelezi, Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development. Rector Qerimi emphasized the importance of this collaboration, highlighting its potential to shape the bioeconomy's future in the region and produce tangible results. Mr. Imri Demelezi's presence underscores the significance of the meeting in fostering academic and scientific cooperation and its potential to drive positive changes in the bioeconomy sector in the region. Demelezi was a candidate in the 2019 parliamentary election with

Vetëvendosje Vetëvendosje (, , LVV or VV) is a Left-wing politics, left-leaning Democratic socialism, democratic socialist List of political parties in Kosovo, political party in Kosovo. It is a member of the Progressive Alliance, and an observer in the Par ...

. He served as deputy minister of agriculture in the first Kurti government during its brief tenure in 2020. He returned to government with the

second Kurti cabinet The Second Kurti cabinet was formed in Kosovo on 22 March 2021 following a deal between the political parties Vetëvendosje, Guxo, Progressive Democratic Party, New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo, Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo and New D ...

in March 2021. On his position as Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development his intentions are to improve farmer positions and regulation and decrease the bureaucracy for their needs. Through agricultural policies and strategic documents, aims to develop organic agriculture and increase the capacity and quality of this production. His ideas are expressed in thi
interview
For the government's support in agriculture in this time of crisis, Demelezi explained the support of more than 5 million euros have been allocated for subsidizing oil for farmers. "In total, Kosovo imports up to 130 thousand tons of wheat in a year". Demelezi has voiced the government's determination to confront long-standing abuses in grants and subsidies, pointing to a concerning involvement of high-level politicians. The government, under the leadership of Kurti II, has committed to addressing these abuses, particularly in the agricultural sector. They aim to involve law enforcement agencies to ensure accountability and justice. This commitment follows a pattern where past governments have also been accused of benefiting from the misuse of various projects. Demelezi has pledged to ensure equal access and full integration of persons with disabilities in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development (MAFRD), particularly in the agricultural sector. He is committed to enabling the active participation of everyone in the country's food supply chain. This commitment aligns with Prime Minister Albin Kurti's declaration of 2022 as the "Year of Persons with Disabilities," signalling an intensified focus on enhancing opportunities and support for individuals with disabilities in the coming year. Demelezi, has expressed concerns about the sustainability of the current food system in the meeting organised by
Institute for Development Policy (INDEP)
. He stated that defining the existing food system is a complex task but emphasized the need to acknowledge that it is not sustainable. Demelezi pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has put this system to the test, revealing its lack of resilience on a globa
scale
He stressed that a food system unable to meet the healthy food needs of the majority is not truly serving the people.

References

Living people 1985 births People from Viti, Kosovo University of Pristina alumni University of Bologna alumni Vetëvendosje politicians {{economist-stub