European Migrant Crisis (2014-2018) and Serbia
Igor Janev (ed.) Serbia: Current Political, Economic and Social Issues and Challenges, Nova Science Publishers, Inc., New York, 2019, pp. 125–142
20 Pages Posted: 27 Feb 2020
Date Written: 2019
Abstract
The influx of migrants from the Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, and elsewhere has been weighing down Europe down since 2014. Two of the main migrant routes are the the so-called Balkan route by land and the Mediterranean route by sea. Most of the migrants on the Balkan route arrive from Turkey, crossing Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria on their way to Central and Western Europe. During its ongoing “transition process,” Serbia has faced a number of economic, demographic and social problems. Within this context, the migrant flood poses additional challenges and geopolitical risks.
Serbia stands out due to its particularly weak economy, low living standards, and negative natural and mechanical population growth rate. Serbia is also locked in a territorial dispute over Kosovo and Metohija province and it borders on areas with predominantly Muslim population to the south and west (Albanians and Bosniaks). In this context, the influx of Muslim refugees from the Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, and elsewhere takes on an important geopolitical significance. On the other hand, Serbia has been credited with having successfully provided the migrants with shelter and other help. Various new regulations have been adopted to regulate the status of transiting migrants and to organize shelter, as well as to enable asylum seekers to stay in Serbia, including the possibility for the youngest members of this group to exercise their right to an education.
Keywords: migration, Europe, Balkan route, Mediterranean route, migrant crisis, Serbia and migrant crisis
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