Migration in the 21st Century – Determinator of Political, Security and Economic Sustainability of North Macedonia

Arnaudov, Mitko (2023) Migration in the 21st Century – Determinator of Political, Security and Economic Sustainability of North Macedonia. In: How to deal with uncertainties in increasingly complex environment? : (the new cartography of risk and crises) : proceedings of the international scientific conference held in Cavtat – Dubrovnik September 27-29, 2022. Faculty of philosophy – Institute for security, defense and peace "Ss. Cyril and Methodius" university; Center for risk analysis and crisis management (CARUK), Skopje ; Belgrade, pp. 81-95. ISBN 978-608-238-233-3

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Abstract

During the last two decades, North Macedonia has been facing the phenomena of huge emigration as a consequence of unstable political, security and economic flows in the country. Based on the results of the last census in that country, held in September 2021, this country lost more than two hundred thousand people in a period of twenty years, which, from a strategic point of view, represents a huge internal issue for the ongoing economic flows, potential economic growth and national investment strategies. Most of the emigrants have stated that the main reason for leaving the country were unstable economic perspectives, continuation of political tensions and politically initiated ethnic problems, which all contribute to security instability. Such circumstances are the reasons for emigrants to decide to start a new chapter in life abroad, mostly in the Western European countries. Moreover, long duration of the European integration of North Macedonia represents one of the key reasons why many young citizens of this state have decided to emigrate. In this paper, from a practical point of view, the author will analyze and explain the key reasons of the migration phenomena in North Macedonia, as well as how these reasons contribute to its economic, political and security sustainability on middle term. From the other side, from a theoretical point of view, we are going to explain how much small states, such as North Macedonia, without strong economic performances and political power on regional and international level, are vulnerable, from the perspective of migration, in contemporary globalized international relations. The questions we would like to reach an answer to in this paper are the following: Do small states, on the example of North Macedonia, could be sustainable if the process of globalization at the same time determines the process of migration? What mechanisms small states have in order to mitigate the migration flows, as a measure in securing economic sustainability? Does faster European integration contribute to mitigation of migration, or the contrary? How much do the political instability and security threats really contribute to emigration process?

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