Migration due to different reasons in the Balkan countries North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro is considered among the most important problems of the coming years.
In the Balkans, young people leaving their countries for reasons such as unemployment, problems in the economy and education, and concerns about the future raise concerns that the region will increasingly host an “elderly population”.
Academician Bujamin Bela, who works at Mother Teresa University operating in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, pointed out in his statement to the AA correspondent that migration in general is on the rise as a phenomenon for both North Macedonia and the countries in the region.
Pointing out that many factors affecting migration can be listed and one of them is the lack of labor force, especially in European Union (EU) countries, Bela said, “We see that more than 14 thousand work permits were issued during the year. This is a potential for the Balkan countries and especially North Macedonia. The shortage in these countries is huge.” A high proportion, almost 28 percent, appears to be borne by North Macedonia.” he said.
Stating that immigration continues to increase in North Macedonia and the number of immigrants has reached approximately 700 thousand people, Bela continued as follows:
“According to some statistics I have seen in various reports, the number of people migrating from North Macedonia has been continuously increasing every five years since 2005. This number, which started from 400 thousand, has reached 693 thousand, that is, approximately 700 thousand people.”
Bela emphasized that the Balkans in general have experienced a long transition period with a relatively corrupt system, unemployment and loss of trust in institutions, and said, “Recently, it has become a fact that what pushes migration is not only economic, but also social, psychological and educational issues.” We see.” he said.
Sharing his belief that if North Macedonia becomes a member of the EU, there will be more investment in these areas and such migration will decrease, Bela said that he believes that migration can be prevented if the society and the state manage to minimize these opportunities.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
According to the research conducted by Pod Lupom, a non-governmental organization based in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 7 out of 10 citizens want to see their country in the EU.
44 percent of those surveyed want to leave Bosnia and Herzegovina due to the political structure and unemployment in the country. 58 percent of young people and 17 percent of older people have the idea of leaving the country.
“What are the main problems in the country?” When asked the question, crime and corruption come to the fore with 22 percent, bad political situation with 18.6 percent and unemployment with 16.6 percent.
Participants in the survey think that the economic situation, the health system, and peace and security need to be improved, and that this situation, which is not corrected, causes corruption and political instability.
‘Who do you trust most?’ Among the answers given to the question, “trust in state institutions” was the lowest rate with 7.4 percent.
While 59.1 percent of respondents think that the country is moving on the wrong path, they also support joining NATO and the EU.
Albania’s EU membership process will also affect migration
Albania’s population started to decrease since 1990. Low birth rates and immigration are cited as some of the main factors affecting population decline.
According to data from the Albanian Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), it is estimated that approximately 500 thousand citizens emigrated from Albania in the period between 2001 and 2011 censuses.
According to the data of the last census shared by INSTAT in June 2024, the population of the country was recorded as 2 million 402 thousand 113. That is, there is a decrease of 420 thousand compared to the 2011 census.
The migration trend and the decrease in population continued similarly in 2011-2024.
According to reports, statements and data of some organizations and political parties in Albania, approximately 50 percent of those who migrated in recent years are young people aged 15-29, and one of the main reasons for this is economic reasons.
Albania, which is a candidate for EU membership and opened its first set of chapters this year, is expected to be affected by changes in the demographic structure of the country after its membership.
27 percent of young people in Kosovo plan to migrate
As Kosovo citizens began to travel to the Schengen Area without a visa as of January 1, 2024, the issue of migration to Western European countries began to take more place on the country’s agenda. This year’s survey conducted by the Pristina-based GAP Institute with the participation of approximately 1000 people revealed that 27.9 percent of Kosovo citizens over the age of 18 plan to migrate to Western countries in the first half of the year.
According to the preliminary results of this year’s census in Kosovo, the country’s population has decreased significantly compared to the census conducted in 2011. The population, which was 1 million 739 thousand 825 in 2011, decreased to 1 million 586 thousand 659 in 2024.
One of the important findings of the census results was the migration from other cities of the country to the capital Pristina. While there was a decrease in population throughout the country, Pristina’s population increased by approximately 15 percent in the same period.
Since one of the most important reasons for the decrease in population is “migration to Western European countries”, Kosovo is currently carrying out the “diaspora census” process. With the announcement of the results of the census, which will continue until the end of the year, it is expected that the country’s diaspora will be more crowded than the resident population.
As a result of a research conducted by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, it was stated that the majority of Kosovo youth tend to leave the country in search of better living conditions and prosperity. The research also noted that the migration of the young population from Kosovo is among the important problems that the country will face in the next 10 years.
The population is aging in Serbia and Montenegro
While Serbia is among the countries experiencing more internal migration in the region, it was stated that the elderly population is 20 percent more than the young population.
According to the latest census, the population of Montenegro, which has the smallest population in the region, was announced as 623 thousand, while the average age was recorded as 39, indicating that Montenegro is an increasingly aging country.
While it is stated that Montenegro is a country that receives a significant amount of immigration, the average age rate in the census shows that a lot of young people emigrate from the country.
EU members Slovenia and Croatia are also losing population
Slovenia and Croatia, which are EU members in the region, are also among the countries rapidly losing population.
According to experts in Croatia, the country with a population of approximately 4 million loses approximately 25 thousand people every year. Experts stated that the migration situation in Croatia is “serious” and that more investments should be made in this field in the country.
Slovenia is another migratory country in the region with a population of 2 million.
Since it is a member of the EU, Slovenia also attracts attention as the country that receives the most immigration in the region.
