On Thursday, 19 of July, Civic Initiative Europe without Barriers in cooperation with Barcelona Center for International Affairs (CIDOB) presented outcomes of the research: «Ukraine-Spain migration nexus: benefits and risks in the context of visa liberalisation between the EU and Ukraine» carried out in 2011 – 2012 at support of the European Programme of International Renaissance Foundation.
Research results have been presented by the experts from Europe without Barriers (Iryna Sushko, Maryana Kuzio), Barcelona Center for International Affairs (Elena Sanchez-Montijano), and Institute for Euro-Atlantic cooperation (Oleksandr Sushko).
The event has been attended by the representatives from the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Ukraine (Mr. D.Jorge Urbiola López de Montenegro), Migration service of Ukraine and leading experts on migration issues.
Iryna Sushko, head of Civic initiative Europe without Barriers making her introduction speech stressed that “Traditional views of U krainian labor migrants in Europe as “zarobitchanyn” which are deeply rooted in 90’s still contains stereotypes of deprived of rights and indigent U krainians dreaming to move somewhere outside of country in order to find whatever job is available for any amount of money. The proposed research results ambiguously indicate that the realities has changed over the years and continue to change”.
Project initiators came to the conclusions that example of Spain shows that migration of Ukrainian’s presence in “Old Europe” societies evolved, moving from illegal and mostly spontaneous migration toward becoming a valuable part of modern multiethnic Spanish (and broader — European) society.
Oleksandr Sushko, project’s research adviser put an accent on two key factors which from his point of view have an effect on the continuation of migration processes between Ukraine and Spain: first, cultural affinity and generally positive perception of migrants from Ukraine and migrants in Spanish society as such; second, push and pull factors in the origin and host country (such as the socioeconomic situation; access to labour market, existing migrants’ networks etc).
The experts of Europe without Barriers emphasized that “in the context of current crisis, the present and the future of a considerable part of Ukrainian migrants is uncertain”. What seems to be clear, from their standpoint – “the arrival of Ukrainians is not significantly increasing, but has not totally stopped either”.
“As the disposition of legal employment and legal stay dominate among all groups of Ukrainian migrants in Spain, concerns about a significant influx of illegal migration (in particular, in the context of future visa regime liberalisation for short-term visits) may be considered exaggerated”– pointed out Maryana Kuzio, expert of Europe without barriers, coordinator of this project.
Positive tendencies in Ukraine – Spain migration interaction were acknowledged by expert from Barcelona Center for International Affairs – Elena Sanchez-Montijano. She stressed that “an increase in the number of people receiving residence and work permits in the territory of Spain is a positive tendency as it reflects a clear demand for legal employment and a certain readiness of the local government to meet such a demand”.
The experts of Europe without Barriers believe that migrants from Ukraine mostly do not constitute a threat to public security of Spain, on the contrary, they can be seen as a migration resource for the Spanish labor market, which meet its needs.
The double cultural model of migrants set up a particular value. Tradition and language maintenance could be essential in the process of the development of the second generation and the relationship between host and origin countries.
There is a need for a qualitative and quantitative change in the exchanges and relationships between Ukraine and S pain, on all levels (cultural, scientific, economic, etc), as well as the necessity to bring relationships to a new level of comprehensive institutional exchange.
As for migrants, residing in S pain for a longer period, it is crucial to enter into debates related to their political rights recognition and political participation.
Source: Europe Without Barriers
