By Risto Karajkov

The tension caused by the revealing of the rising numbers of Macedonian citizens who have sought asylum in E.U. countries since the beginning of the year seems to be calming down. Recently the first buses of unsuccessful would-be émigrés returned from Brussels. Belgium was the prime destination for the wave of migrants who thought they could get a better life in the rich European Union by filing for asylum. The buses also carried Serbian citizens.

Paid by the Belgium government and escorted by Belgium migration officials, they brought the first group of disillusioned refugees back to their homes. More buses are to follow from Belgium, and likely from other European countries as well. This seems to appease the political tension inflamed in past weeks by the media reports of an alleged massive flight of mostly Macedonian and Serbian citizens seeking asylum in the European Union.

In early March, at an urging by the Belgium government, the European Commission (EC) informed the public of the increased number of citizens from Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro filing asylum claims in Belgium’s capital Brussels. In a sharp reaction, the EC reminded the governments of the countries that recently benefited from visa liberalization to inform their citizens of the entitlements and obligations arising from the visa-free regime. EC spokesperson from DG Justice, Freedom, and Security Michele Cercone assessed the phenomenon as migratory pressure motivated by economic reasons, underlining that the chances of actually getting an asylum are very small for most seekers.

Since the beginning of the year, migration authorities in Brussels have noticed the increased numbers of asylum claims mostly by citizens from Macedonia and Serbia. Numbers quoted by the media differed, but by some estimates, around 400 Macedonians citizens claimed asylum in Belgium since the beginning of the year, a number substantially higher compared to previous years. Another media source has reported over 300 asylum applications from Serbian citizens, mostly Albanians and Roma from the south of the country, in February alone. The numbers have risen in other countries too. Reportedly, there were around 160 asylum requests by Macedonian citizens in Switzerland in February, three times more than in the whole of 2009. Similarly, according to Macedonian media reports of Swedish migration authorities’ estimates, around 1,000 Roma from the region, mostly from Serbia, but also from Macedonia and Montenegro, have entered Sweden by buses. Many of them thought they could get asylum and government assistance.

Media investigation in Macedonia soon started to unravel the puzzle. Something did not make sense. With the visas gone, “regular” illegal migrants could enter the European Union as tourists and simply stay there unnoticed for years–behavior typical of illegal migrants. The hopeful refugees would load off the bus in Brussels, and first thing they would go to the migration office to declare their presence and ask for asylum–action very unbecoming of an economic clandestine.

Journalists quickly got the core of the matter. These people, usually the poorest of the poor, people of low education, were lured by swindlers into thinking they could actually get government social support in E.U. countries if they asked for asylum. In such a case, they were told, the rich E.U. government would give them apartments to live in and a monthly check. The investigation led journalists to several travel agencies, usually without licenses, which charged the desperate around 100 euros for a ticket to Brussels. For many of these people 100 euros was likely their life savings. Following reactions from the E.U. and media reports, the government quickly reacted and cracked down on the illegal “travel agents.”

Belgium’s Prime Minister Ives Leterme arrived in Macedonia on March 8 to help personally in dispersing the untruths over his country’s asylum policies. He said Belgium did not give political asylum on economic grounds. He also asked Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski to help convey the message to Macedonian citizens. The next day Belgian officials, led by Secretary of State for Immigration Melchior Wathelet, visited the region of Lipkovo, in the north of the country, from whence many of the asylum seekers originated.

The Macedonian government also took on a media campaign to avert citizens from false promises. For several days, government ministers sent appeals through the media. The combined action yielded fruit, and the asylum bus tours to the European Union stopped. The first bus of returnees is to be followed by others. Authorities have launched an investigation, and hopefully charges will be brought against frauds who sought quick profits by deceiving the poorest of the poor.

Governments in the region and in the European Union have been fighting professional migrant smugglers and human traffickers for years. It is a difficult struggle against skilled and organized opponents. This was amateur night. From this point of view, all the political drama and the strong statements made in Brussels about the possible political repercussions that could be brought on the Balkan countries in response to this major abuse seem a bit exaggerated.

Media got the credit for revealing the scheme, finding the organizers and dispelling the lies that misled the poor. However, Alexandra Stiglmayer, part of a Berlin-based think tank, pointed out that some media were over-blowing the situation. “There has been abuse of visas in the past, and it is clear that there will be abuse of visa-free travel. What is unfortunate is that some media are exaggerating this,” said Ms. Stiglmayer. She said that some media were inflating the number of asylum applications.

“This is an administrative problem, not political”, said Pavel Gantar, chairman of the Slovenian Parliament. Slovenia was a strong proponent of visa liberalization for the Balkan countries.

This was the first big public test for the visa-free regime for Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro, which started on December 19, 2009. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania are expected to soon follow suit and be allowed visa-free travel as early as 2010. Some commentators indicated that the asylum-seekers episode might reflect negatively on these countries’ hopes to get their visas dropped.

This article was published in Italian by Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso: http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/ita

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[eminimal]

By: Risto Karajkov
Osservatorio Balcani

18 December 2008

Earlier this year The Economist had a piece on Macedonia titled ‘A Balkan Belgium?’ The article essentially argued that similar to Belgium, Macedonia is ethnically strongly divided, and that the only thing that keeps both countries still in one piece is Europe. Could be, but where does that leave Bosnia? It also kind of sounds better — Bosnia, the Balkan Belgium.

Comparisons can be a powerful tool of analysis, but in order to be relevant they should scan deeper. Otherwise they just stay (of course pleasant and engaging) elements of style.

When Macedonian hajjis departed to Mecca for the Hajj this year, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski came to see them off. It is a first in Macedonia’s history as independent state. Wishing them a safe trip, he said that the ‘Hajj was part of the country’s tradition and culture‘. The government provided an ambulance vehicle to accompany the hajjis during the long travel. The chief of the Islamic community in the country, Mr. Sulejman Rexhepi, expressed gratitude for the honors and said the hajjis ‘should also pray for the Prime Minister and the government’. Sentimental but, why not? A secular government being too close for comfort to religion? It is just a nice gesture after all.

In somewhat similar vein, the Minister of Health, Bujar Osmani, recently added circumcision on the list of medical procedures fully paid for by the government. He justified, the move and fairly so, with medical arguments. Circumcision greatly reduces the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, and some types of cancer. He also cited other arguments concerning public health, such as that at present circumcisions are often done in improvised, unhygienic conditions. Last he said this would be a small expense for the government; it would cost some 50,000 Euros per year to circumscribe 10,000 children.

As much as medical arguments are absolutely in place, in a country like Macedonia, the cultural aspect of the measure can not be avoided. A few skeptics questioned the move; some said the government should in such a case also pay for the baptism of Christian children. Overall, nobody made any big deal about it however.

The bottom line is that the government is trying hard to pay respect to diversity whenever possible. Prime Minister Gruevski practically never misses a chance to address audiences in Albanian (by reading out the first few words of course). When recently the 100- year anniversary of the creation of the Albanian alphabet was celebrated in Bitola, he was one of the keynote speakers. It is fair to say that Macedonian politicians were not inclined to such gestures in the past. Some note his Albanian has been improving too.

This is of course not enough. But it is nevertheless important. And it does kind of add to the overall effort to, well, live together.

The most important thing of course is that all communities in the country feel they have equal chance and equal ownership of the common good. Many analysts would argue that blending and liking each other are not as important. At least in part they are probably right. One can have, in some situations, a fair share or inter-marriages, but that does not help a community deprived of the feeling of equality… feel any more equal.

Macedonia had hard time getting it right in the 90s. The country was not an exception to the primitive nationalisms which tore up former Yugoslavia. The ‘resurrection‘ of Alexandar the Great, but above all the unreasonable politics toward the Albanians are the most highlighted examples.

According to some analysts, it was a miracle — given Macedonian-Albanian relations in the 90s — that the conflict took so long to actually happen. Yet, other scholars have pointed out to the fact of the preceding centuries of multicultural co-existence by making the point that Macedonians and Albanians have actually never fought in their history before the conflicts in the 90s, over education (’95), the flag (’97) and finally the armed conflict in 2001. This is likely also not unconditionally accurate, but it does convey the sense of the generally peaceful of co-existence between the two communities.

The Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) which ended the (luckily) short war in 2001 did redesign the political arrangements between Macedonians and Albanians to make the latter feel more equal co-owners of the state, and it definitely stabilized the country for the long haul.

And even before the OFA, the political setup of the country did generally produce stability: the two major Macedonian political parties are arch -enemies, same as the two major Albanian parties. A government which would not rest on Macedonian-Albanian partnership is difficult to imagine in Macedonia at present.

And then, beyond the Macedonian-Albanian anxiety, the country has been a comfortable salad bowl for most other ingredients. The Vlach from the Balkans and beyond recently had a regional meeting in Macedonia, and praised the country for its advanced entitlements for the small Vlach minority. They said that nobody else recognized them and respected them the way Macedonia did. Roma have had their MPs, mayors, and TV channels ever since the early 90s. The country even has an Egyptian minority which emerged in the 90s. The region between Struga and Ohrid has several communities of Egyptians. Neighbors still call them ‘Roma’ but what counts of course is how one feels about him/herself. The Turks, Serbs, Bosniaks, Torbesh, and all the others have lived well integrated; enjoyed minority protection, and had full political representation ever since Macedonia’s independence in 1991.

It is of course never enough, and one should always strive to improve, but what Macedonia has by regional, or even the standards of some European states, is not little.

Passions do inflame occasionally, but there is no going around it. Nationalism is an endemic beast and domesticating it through education takes time. In a short term, cracking down on it when things get critical, might still be the only alternative. Appeasing it has probably never done else but aggrandizing its appetites.

Multiculturalism is of course not easy. Nevertheless, opposite from the gloomy assessment from the beginning, some analysts argue that Macedonia remains the only viable example of successful ethnic co-existence in the Balkans.

This may also be an exaggerated statement, but it is worth thinking about it. Maybe Europe should give it some more thought too.

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Writes: Earl Beal in Terre Haute, Indiana

In the power politics of international relations, superpower behavior is governed by the concept of geopolitical spheres of influence. When a superpower nation meddles in the internal affairs of another and attempts to exert undue political or economic influence in its perceived sphere, that’s when trouble starts.

The trouble started when President Bush pressured Poland and the Czech Republic to establish a missile-defense system in their territories. This policy was then, and continues to be, seen by some as a direct threat to Russia, not to mention Bush’s push for democratic reforms in former Soviet Republics still considered vital to Russia’s national security interests.

Also, if Russia placed ballistic missiles in Cuba and/or Venezuela, this would constitute a direct threat to the U.S. Washington’s hue and cry over such a move would be surpassed only by Bush’s hypocrisy when he and his Pentagon took the "dramatic," "brutal" and "disproportionate" measure of invading a sovereign Iraq in 2003.

As a result, what do we have?

• The hemorrhaging of our national treasure in terms of lives lost.

• Thousands of courageous people wounded.

• A cost of more than $10 billion a month to finance this fiasco.

• 5 million Iraqi refugees scattered and without homes.

…..and today secretary Rice ushered in the new COLD WAR:

References:

1. The Cuban Missile Crisis — was a confrontation between the United States, the Soviet Union, and Cuba during the Cold War. In Russia, it is termed the “Caribbean Crisis,” (Russian: Karibskiy krizis) while in Cuba it is called the “October Crisis.” The crisis ranks with the Berlin Blockade as one of the major confrontations of the Cold War, and is often regarded as the moment in which the Cold War came closest to a nuclear war….[ MORE >> ]

2. Abkhazia, Ossetia, Georgia, Russia, Europe, USA, Turkey, and the Yet Untold Truth — Russia may certainly have ceaselessly tried to oppose NATO’s expansion up to the Russian borders, but this does not imply that the West has to take this Russian policy into consideration. However, the Western inconsistent and biased stance, interpreted as grave threat by Russia, only damages the chances of the West to diffuse the Western values, ideas and principles among the numerous oppressed peoples who form a sizeable — and traumatized — minority in Russia, being however the local majority either on small (like the Abkhazians) or vast (like the Yakutians) territory. …[ MORE >> ]