ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԻ ՀԱՆՐԱՊԵՏՈՒԹՅԱՆ ՏԱՐԱԾՔԱՅԻՆ ԿԱՌԱՎԱՐՄԱՆ ՆԱԽԱՐԱՐՈՒԹՅԱՆ
ՄԻԳՐԱՑԻՈՆ ԳՈՐԾԱԿԱԼՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ
CLUSTER PROCESS MEETING -
EUROPEAN AND SOUTHERN CAUCASUS COUNTRIES
TOPIC I: INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND EXPERT CONSULTATIONS
STATEMENT OF
Mr. Gagik YEGANYAN
HEAD OF MIGRATION AGENCY
MINISTRY OF TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION OF RA
10 -11 May, 2006, Brussels
Dear Chairman
Dear Meeting Participants
Let me on behalf of the Armenian delegation to express sincere gratitude to the organizers of this meeting and voice a hope that we shall be able to reinforce achievements obtained during Cluster Proposal Project started as early as 2001-2002 in Tbilisi and to continue our cooperation in the spirit of mutual understanding. Previous initiative performed its role completely, and what is especially important, direct dialogue was launched between countries of “origin” and “destination.” We highly appreciate Cluster Initiative, since it helped us to formulate policy of Armenian Government on combating irregular migration. To make clear how important the issue I am talking about, I would like to present to your attention information on migration situation in Armenia.
Population mass emigration conditioned by unfavorable socio-economic realities of Armenia was conceived at the beginning of 90s and proceeds to our days. According to various assessments, around 800 000 -1 mln. people or up to 28-31% of population left Armenia over the mentioned years.
Almost vast majority of this mass is located in the Former Soviet Union countries, mainly in the Russian Federation- 75% of the mass, 15% out of the remaining 25% is spread throughout the European countries, and 10% is settled in the USA. An important role in choosing CIS countries as destination countries is played by such factors as absence of visa system, business ties, linguistic, cultural and psychological similarity. In cases with other countries significant role is played by presence of Armenian Diasporas in these countries.
The emigration flow is characterized by the following structural specifications:
The sociological survey conducted in 2005 recorded that 13.9% of Armenian families continues to be involved in labour migration. Meanwhile, 51 % of those looking for a job abroad explained this by absence of job in Armenia, whereas 43%-by lack of sufficiently paid jobs.
At the same time, since the relevant legislative field in the country is not duly regulated, the majority of emigrants violates entry and exit rules prescribed by legislations of countries of origin and destination and, consequently, very often appears in the status of irregular migrants. Also two circumstances contribute to formation of such distressed situation, that is extremely complicated procedures for finding legal jobs or almost absence of such opportunities as well as lack of sufficient information on necessary conditions for taking up legal employment in the foreign countries.
Irregular status of labour migrant creates problems not only for migrants themselves, but for the countries of destination and Armenia as well.
Due to their irregular status migrants always trying to avoid law-enforcement
bodies can not benefit from medical and educational systems of a host country,
they even deprived of hope to be supported by their surroundings. Circle of
their contacts is gradually squeezed eventually being limited to persons being
in the same status. Numerous employers make use of migrants’ such situation
and exploit them. Unauthorized stay in foreign countries may entail such consequences
as persistent administrative and judicial persecution, exploitation, isolation,
discrimination, socio-economic difficulties. For one part of irregular migrants,
which are isolated and alienated from the society, there is no any opportunity
as to become engaged in prosecutable and punishable activities (sale of drugs
and weapons, prostitution, theft and etc.). In many cases minors of families
of such groups are also involved in similar activities. Eventually, many of
them become victims of an organized crime. The circumstance that significant
part of migrants enters foreign countries with false documents or gain them
already being there, keep them in complete dependence on criminal organizations
provided them with such documents. Numerous are the cases when unauthorized
individuals or organizations, promising to broker an overseas employment, extort
money from credulous people, after which they either disappear or, upon arriving
in host country, leave the migrants to the mercy of fate. It turns out that
trying to escape poor socio-economic conditions, Armenian nationals living in
host countries without any authorization, very often find themselves in same
or even worse conditions.
Dear chairman
Irregular migration creates problems for countries of origin as well. Virtually,
a huge mass of own nationals is formed in foreign countries whose rights are
impossible to protect because of their irregular status. Besides, sooner or
later, these nationals are deported from the host countries and countries of
origin face the necessity to resolve their problems. In case of Armenia the
situation is worsened by the fact that presence of irregular migrants of Armenian
nationality breathes upon good reputation of our compatriots, who 5-6 generations
live in the receiving countries.
The host countries are affected as well, since they are directly confronted
with violation of their legislation. Moreover, presence of migrants aggravates
racism and xenophobia in the society as well as creates additional burden on
social systems of these countries.
Thus, illegal migration creates problems for all parts involved and it is obvious
that combating illegal migration alone can not provide desired outcomes, and
such fight can be effective if receiving countries and countries of origin unite
their efforts. As I have already mentioned above, Cluster Initiative launched
in 2001-2002 played a great role in formation of such approach. It provided
an opportunity to three countries of Southern Caucasus as countries of origin
of irregular migrants, to establish direct ties with five European destination
countries, to hold joint discussions on problems of concern and to seek for
ways for their resolution. Experience demonstrated that organizing discussions
of problem in such a format was justified and meetings of representatives of
authorized structures produced positive results.
Dear chairman
As I mentioned above, in Armenia we have a policy on combating irregular migration
and the Cluster Initiative had its significant role in developing the mentioned
policy. This policy is a comprehensive approach, which implies implementation
of particular measures correspondent to each stage of phenomenon origination
and development. I shall present these measures in more details later, when
we proceed to discussion of various issues envisaged by the agenda.
Now I would like briefly to share with you information on some activities carried
out in Armenia within the framework of the Cluster Initiative.
Information dissemination
Conclusion of Readmission Agreements
Assistance to re-integration of returning nationals
