On 4 May 2015, Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS) held a Press Conference to release a Policy Analysis entitled: ‘The Potential Migrant’s Profile: Who are the Kosovars most willing to Migrate?’ Considering the huge flow of migrants towards EU countries in the past months, specifically from December 2014 until March 2015, GLPS has conducted a representative survey of population with 1000 persons, at the end of March 2015, in order to estimate and then examine the perception trends with regard to this phenomenon. Using the data deriving from the survey, GLPS built the ‘potential migrant’s profile’ and empirically analyses the factors that influence the willingness of citizens to migrate in the context of the factors that participate in the said profile.

The Potential Migrant’s Profile is being conducted for the first time in Kosovo and is an indicator of the structure of factors which trigger the willingness to migrate, something that policymakers and the Mustafa Government should carefully consider in their policy response to the migration trend. The data suggests that willingness to migrate remains very high despite migration of a relatively high number of individuals over the last past months, as well as continuous declarations of EU officials that asylum applications of Kosovo citizens will not be accepted. More precisely, 37.2% of individuals surveyed are willing to migrate should they have an opportunity to do so.

“There are several factors that affect the willingness of citizens to migrate. Citizens of regions as Peja, Gjakova, Prizren and Ferizaj have lower potential to migrate compared to the citizens of Prishtina. While, in regards to the region of Mitrovica, the citizens of rural areas have higher willingness to migrate than those from Prishtina”, stated Ms. Delfinë Elshani, the co-author of the Analysis.

Ms. Loxha, the other co-author of the Policy Analysis emphasised that: “From 88% of the respondents, Kosovo Government has been considered as the main responsible institution for their eventual migration. While, on the other hand, finding a job with an average salary, employment of other family members, visa liberalization and seasonal employment in the EU countries are some of the reasons that would affect in lowering the willingness of citizens to migrate.” The Policy Analysis provides the full-range of characteristic that portray this phenomenon.

Last, the Policy Analysis offers a set of tangible, policy-oriented recommendations for the Kosovo Government to mitigate the factors that are causing this trend of migration of citizens toward the EU countries.To access the Policy Analysis, please click here.

Date: Monday, 4 May 2015

Place: Conference Centre Orion