EU aid not to help Armenia with its migration problem

By AzerNews

Achievement of an advanced economy and social prosperity is not destined to every country. Economic sustainability and development of each country is the key factor of survival in order to keep up with today's fast growth around the world. It is beyond doubt that only governments protecting democracy, properly implementing fair and peaceful political policies, as well as the societies which embrace human rights can have this fortune.

Armenia always ignores the above-said toils to strengthen statehood, and keeps itself dependent on foreign aid. Thus, this time its goal is returning the people who intend or have already left the country. It seems migration of the people has alarmed the authorities and the current shoulder of the Armenian government to cry on is the European Union.

According to Armenia Today, the EU will provide Armenia with another million euros for the promotion of circular migration and reintegration.

The program will be undertaken by the organizations People in Need and Armenian Relief Union for two and a half years.

But the head of the EU delegation to Armenia Traian Hristea told journalists that the EU does not expect to solve the problem completely.

Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Ara Petrosian said the most important point is to carry out proper work with the people who are going to leave the country but have not departed yet.

According to Petrosian, it might be something that would deter people from going abroad -- offering them jobs.

Armenia has a tiny population of less than 3.5 million. In the last three years 5 percent or about 160,000 Armenian citizens left the country, according to Armenian Report portal.

According to the Armenian Migration Service, 2.053 million people left the country over 11 months of 2012, while 1.981 million people returned in this period. Thus, the difference between those who left and came back home made up about 72,000 people, Haykakan Zhamanak daily said.

In January-February, the number of emigrants increased by 2,455 compared to the same period of last year. The negative balance in migration was 19,029 people, while the figure was 16,574 people in January-February 2012.

The tendency of an exodus emerged in 2008, and about 200,000 people have left the country since then in search of a new start in their lives.

The EU allocated 3 million euros to Armenia last week in assistance to resolve the problems related to migration issues under the Targeted Initiative for Armenia program which is implemented by eight EU countries for three years.

"We will be cooperating with relevant bodies and civil society of Armenia to contribute to repatriation of Armenians to their motherland and their active reintegration," the Program's Director Virginie Arto said.

This program is implemented under the supervision of the immigration agency of France.

Given Armenia's small population, if the dangerous demographic situation in the South Caucasus republic persists, it may soon have almost no labor force left. Around two-thirds of the migrants have reportedly gone to Russia, while the rest have moved to the U.S. or Europe.

The most intensive migration has been reported to the central and southern regions of Russia, as well as to the other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. At least 40,000 people have left for the United States and other industrialized countries.

About 60 percent of the entire total of 8 million Armenians live outside Armenia in 60 countries, with one million in the U.S. and Russia each. There are also large Armenian communities in Georgia, France, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Argentina, and Canada.

The number of officially registered unemployed people in Armenia was 63,300 in October 2012, according to the Armenian National Statistics Service.

The Armenian government, however, appears to lack an intention to change the situation for the sake of its people by leaving the country sidelined from regional projects because of the invasion policy against Azerbaijan, occupying the country's Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other regions, and fueling tension with neighboring countries.

Furthermore, in Armenia's mind, begging assistance draws it closer to the EU.