Enhancing cooperation among the Prague Process states

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Belgium is primarily a country of immigration. Its population has grown from just over 11.000.000 to 11.521.238 in the last decade, both due to immigration and a natural population increase. In 2020, Belgium saw a positive net migration of 41.756 persons, which is almost 25% less than in 2019, but this figure is likely to have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The top five nationalities among immigrants were Belgians returning to their country of origin, Romanians, French, Dutch and Italians. In 2020,  102.413 people emigrated from Belgium, which remains consistently less than the immigration figure. France, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain are the main destination countries for emigrants, while there is a significant diaspora in the US and Canada too.

The population of Bulgaria, which amounted to 6.838.937 persons in 2021, continues to decline. Over the past three decades, the emigration of Bulgarian citizens overseas has become an important phenomenon, which was further accelerated by Bulgaria’s accession to the EU in 2007, motivating many Bulgarians to leave for other EU countries with better economic opportunities. Bulgaria has one of the largest Diasporas in Europe and the Central Asia region. According to UNDESA, approximately 1.7 million Bulgarians lived abroad in 2020, with the majority staying in the EU. The Bulgarian emigrant population in the EU is estimated at over 800.000 people. Turkey is another major destination country hosting over 300.000 Bulgarians. The remaining 8% live primarily in the USA, Canada and Israel.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, over 12 million people are estimated to have been displaced internally and internationally. The ongoing war has resulted in the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II and has direct implications for the trajectory and patterns of migratory movements in the Prague Process region. 

This Panel Discussion assessed the first two months of the war from a migration perspective. The panellists discussed the EU’s immediate response, as well as the current situation on the ground. Special attention was given to the reception conditions under the Temporary Protection Directive and the prospects of successfully integrating the incoming refugees into societies and labour markets. The panel also looked into the wider migration implications across the Prague Process region, including those arising from the unprecedented sanctions imposed on Russia, which has constituted a key country of destination within the region. Finally, the event provided post-war migration scenarios, including the return prospect and its drivers, as well as the wider socioeconomic and demographic implications of the migratory movements experienced to date and expected in the future.  

You may watch the recording in English and Russian.

In June, the Prague Process Secretariat attended the EUROMED Migration V Peer-to-Peer Conference: ‘Capacity Partnerships: Responding to the Needs of Refugees by Developing Opportunities for Host Countries’. The following text presents some key takeaways and lessons learned from Jordan and the MENA region.  

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is home to some 5.7 Million Syrians, as well as numerous Libyans, Yemenis, Palestinians and Iraqis. While Syrian refugees, including many unaccompanied minors, keep coming to seek protection, Malian refugees have more recently entered the region.

This is a double issue of the Quarterly Review covering the first half of 2022. While the previous issue was due in April, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted our usual production cycle. We needed some time to reflect on the tragic developments and humanitarian crisis unfolding in our region since 24 February.  

Upon the invitation of the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality (MHSR) and the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade (MFET) of Malta, a Study Visit to this most southern Prague Process participating state was organised on 7-9 June.

Representatives of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, North Macedonia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan had a chance to acquaint themselves with work of the Maltese migration authorities, the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA), ICMPD’s Regional Office for the Mediterranean (RO MED) and the newly established Training Institute on Migration Capacity Partnership for the Mediterranean (TI MCP MED).

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February has resulted in the displacement of more than 14 million people, representing one quarter to one third of the entire population. Up to two thirds have been displaced internally with another 6 million people fleeing to neighbouring countries, mostly to the EU, but also Russia and Turkey. As of late March, following the withdrawal of Russia’s forces from the north and northeast, people also began returning.

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