Security aspects of modern international migration processes

БЕЗПЕКОВІ АСПЕКТИ СУЧАСНИХ МІЖНАРОДНИХ МІГРАЦІЙНИХ ПРОЦЕСІВ

Висвітлено та охарактеризовано основні аспекти впливу міграційних процесів на окремі складові міжнародної та національної безпеки. З'ясовано, що міжнародна міграція впливає на безпеку на трьох різних рівнях: на національному рівні в країнах транзиту і країнах призначення міграція може розглядатися як загроза економічному добробуту, політичній стабільності, соціальному порядку, культурі, релігії та ідентичності окремих держав; на двосторонньому рівні - коли міграційні переміщення мають тенденцію до створення напруги між країнами походження та призначення і, таким чином, впливають на регіональну і міжнародну стабільність; на рівні окремих мігрантів, що безпосередньо можуть вплинути на міжнародні відносини через певні дії.

И. Ангелко, канд. экон. наук, ст. преподаватель,

И. Васькович, канд. экон. наук, доц.

Introduction. As a matter of fact, international migration constitutes the driving force of globalization and is simultaneously its consequence. At the world scale, the volume of migration is constantly increasing and its directions are diversifying, which results in drastic economic, political, demographic, cultural, and social changes.

Traditionally, the main causes of population migration are conditioned by economic factors, such as level of economic development of countries of destination, employment level of population, national discrepancies in terms of payment and working conditions, etc. However, non-economic factors of population migration are becoming more widespread around the globe. These include political instability, political and military coups, political persecutions, religious peculiarities of countries, natural disasters, and others. Non-economic factors of migration processes expansion are most frequently associated with the threats that migration carries for social, national, and personal security. Security aspects are becoming increasingly important in the modern studies of population migration.

Separate aspects of migration influence on societal transformations, including some constituent components of international and national security, have been highlighted in the works of different foreign and national scientists, such as M. Weiner, A. Haidutskyi, I. Hnybidenko, I. Erdogan, O. Kachan, E. Kirchner, P. J. Croll, E. Libanova, R. Lohrmann, O. Malynovska, S. Pyrozhkov, O. Pozniak, M. Romaniuk, E. Stather, Ya. Stivachtis, K. Frantzbau, O. Khomra, etc.

Significant contribution into studying the interconnection between migration and security was made by American political analyst M. Weiner. In his works, the scientist was the first to systematically research the interconnection between migration and security, and conclude that migration can influence not only internal stability, but also international security as it can be threatened by both the influx of foreigners and the drain of native citizens [1]. Similar opinions about the interconnection between migration and security, as well as their inter-influences at different levels, are expressed in works of R. Lohrmann, P.J. Croll and E. Stather. The scientists believe that the influence of migration on security of separate states is ambiguous and the main cause of migration processes is constituted by danger [2; 3].

According to O. Malynovska, migration is the phenomenon that poses a serious challenge for the usual paradigm of confidence and order, and the interconnection between migration and security is reflected by public opinion, political struggle, and government decisions [4].

Nonetheless, it needs to be emphasized that despite the large quantity of works dedicated to studying the interconnection and the inter-influence of migration and security, some questions within the mentioned problem are covered in the modern economic theory and practice superficially and, therefore, require more detailed research and analysis. In our opinion, the necessity of studying the influence of migration processes on security of separate states and the systematization of migration consequences from the viewpoint of determining potential threats and possible benefits that can be used for the efficient development of society in general are particularly significant.

Research objective and methodology. The research objective is to highlight security aspects of modern migration processes and their constituent components, as well as to determine the major threats that are directly connected with migration of separate people and groups in social and economic space in terms of the major migration consequences for security.

In order to achieve the outlined research objective, we have used the set of general scientific and special methods of research. In particular, dialectical method, methods of comparison and generalization, grouping and systematization, analysis and synthesis, as well as the techniques of tabular and graphical representation of research results, have been applied. Due to the methods of dialectical research, comparison and generalization, we have determined the major causes and consequences of the negative impact produced by migration processes on economic security of separate states in the context of international migration crisis.

Taking into account the analysis of consequences of migration processes influence and their grouping, we have outlined the proprietary model of systematization of major threats that are constituted by migration of population in political, economic, and socio-cultural spheres.

The information basis of research is constituted by scientific works of national and foreign scientists, data from international organizations and periodicals.

Outline of research material. First and foremost, it needs to be emphasized that for the long period of time migration processes worldwide have not been considered from the view point of security. As it is known, the notion of security was limited to the problems of states and the threats that are geopolitical and military in their nature. Meanwhile, migration processes were defined as the consequence (or result) of security crisis, internal conflicts, coups, interventions, and massive violation of human rights. The influence of migration on security has not been studied sufficiently and has not occupied dominant place in the research works.

The research of security consequences of migration processes in society has become more topical only recently. In fact, after the end of the Cold War, the notion of international security has started to be "considered" not only in its narrow military meaning, but also in terms of more widespread and developed "non-military" threats (such as degradation of environment, organized crime, drug trafficking, illegal migration, etc.). Thus, international security has started to be analyzed in terms of its different aspects that, apart from military, include political, economic, social, and ecological ones [1].

In general, the research of the specified aspects has allowed stating and providing evidence to the assumption that international migration produces significant impact on international and national security. Additionally, the impact of migration processes in certain countries is ambiguous as it can be produced at the multiple level. From this point of view, it is necessary to outline the research results of R. Lohrmann, who claims that international migration influences security at three different levels: at the national level in countries of transit and countries of destination, migration can be treated as the threat to economic welfare, political stability, social order, culture, religion, and identity of separate states; at the bilateral level, migration movements have the tendency to escalate tension between countries of origin and countries of destination and, therefore, influence regional and international stability; at the level of separate migrants, whose actions (usually criminal) can directly influence international relations [2, p. 4-5].

As practice shows, international migration most significantly influences countries' social and political security. It is well-known that in the political aspect migration processes can trigger (cause) tension in relationships between countries of origin and countries of destination if migrants or refugees are opponents of their homeland regimes.

It is worth emphasizing that migration of refugees who belong to opposition forces is, to some extent, beneficial to countries of their origin because due to migration they can defeat internal threats and alleviate social and economic tension. However, some countries can oftentimes treat providing political asylum to representatives of their opposition forces as intervention in their internal affairs.

Overall, it is known that forcing representatives of some ethnic or social groups to move from their homeland or creating certain conditions that make them migrate can be treated by other countries as the act of hostile behavior. As a result, countries of destination will search for means of imposing pressure on refugees' country of origin for the sake of ceasing repressions, which can oftentimes result in military interventions [6, p. 144].

As based on the world history, it can be stated that countries of destination can use migrants to efficiently impose pressure on countries of their origin. Countries of destination can often treat migrants as the efficient intelligent stream, the reserve for replenishment of forces oppositional to hostile regimes or the basis for aggravating the ideological struggle, which intensifies defamation of countries of origin because foreign refugees uncover information about discrimination and repressions in their native countries.

Migrants themselves can oftentimes form influential diasporas on the territory of countries of destination and turn governments of foreign countries and international society against countries of their origin. This can happen when political opinions of diaspora are hostile to the government of country of origin, support different strategies of development, strive to change its internal or foreign politics, etc.

Nonetheless, migrants can also be used by their own counties to influence the spheres of internal and foreign politics of countries of destination without taking into account interests of the latter. The goals for which country of origin can mobilize representatives of its diaspora can vary and include ensuring support of its foreign political interests, facilitation in the process of receiving financial, military or other kind of aid, promotion of certain interests and values [7, p. 146].

The most dangerous consequence and the most obvious pattern of how migrants can be used by countries of their origin at the international political scale is the violation of ethnic balance in countries of destination or some of their parts, which creates grounds for separatism that, in its turn, can result in annexation and separation of territories.

Equally significant are the threats of migration processes to economic security of separate countries. In the context of migrants' countries of origin, threats to economic security are primarily connected with the brain drain, the loss of labor potential that in general can result in the decrease of production and the degradation of social sphere. For countries of destination, threats of migration processes in economic development are wider and depend on the nature of migration movements.

In general, under current conditions of economy management, the most significant negative impact of international migration is constituted by encumbrance of financial systems in countries of destination. As a matter of fact, immigrants contribute to treasuries of countries of destination much less than they receive as social benefits, medical, educational, social, and other services. Apart from that, immigrants frequently agree to work for lower salary which, consequently, is an important factor of reducing the salary level in certain sectors of economy, including, as a rule, "dirty", dangerous, and non-prestigious jobs.

Another negative consequence of international migration for economic security of countries is the unwanted population growth and, as a result, the increased need of housing, food stuff, different types of provided services, including educational and medical ones.

Overall, the vivid example of negative impact of migration processes on economic security of certain countries is constituted by migration crisis, which for the last few years has been characterized by the mass influx of migrants and refugees from countries of Africa and Middle East to countries of the European Union. According to official data alone, during the last few years, hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, and other hot spots have moved to the European Union. The main causes of the mass influx of migrants are non-economic and include political and military coups, political persecutions, religious peculiarities of countries, poverty, social injustice, violation of general human rights and freedoms [8].

The problem of mass migration is most strongly felt in the countries that are located closer to the African continent, such as Spain, Greece, and Italy. However, the problem of supporting refugees financially is topical for all members of the European Union. As it is known, governments of the countries belonging to the European Union spend large sums of money to support refugees. For example, back in 2016, Germany alone spent 20 billion Euros on refugee support_[8; 9].

However, it is necessary to point out that financial support of refugees is no longer "suitable" for governments of some countries and this causes the internal split of the European Union into those who agree to accept migrants and those who are strongly against it.

As it is known, governments of many countries spend significant resources to control their borders in order to prevent illegal migration, detain and deport illegal immigrants, process asylum applications, etc. [7, p. 145].

Generally, despite the series of measures that are regularly taken by governments of the European Union countries to minimize the influx of migrants from countries of Middle East and Africa, the problem remains crucial and poses a lot of risks. In particular, large-scale migration movements are threatening basic values of accepting societies due to the difference in cultures of local population and immigrants. As historic experience shows, majority of refugees who migrate to Europe are not willing to get integrated into European society, follow European values and established societal and cultural norms. Contrary to this, they stand for preserving their national and religious identity (which presupposes rapid spread of Islam and weakening of Christianity as the defining religion of European identity) and this, in its turn, triggers discontent among indigenous population [10, p. 104-105]. Therefore, language, religious, and cultural differences between people are the reason for prejudices and biased approach that intensify the negative perception of foreign migrants in society. Such tendencies, consequently, result in the establishment of racist, xenophobic, neo-fascist, neo-Nazi, anti-immigrant parties and other violent groups and movements that can threaten not only country's internal stability, but also get transformed into threats to personal security of people [4, p. 59; 7, p. 145-146].

It needs to be stated that nowadays, unfortunately, migrants in practically all countries suffer from xenophobia and racial discrimination that remain the cornerstone of human civilization development. As members of the European Parliament believe, one of the reasons of increased quantity of xenophobic and racist attacks is the impunity of far-right groups. The European Parliament encourages countries of the European Union to ban neoNazi groups and establish "exit programs" of aid for those who want to leave violent groups [11].

Another significant threat to social security is constituted by conflicts that arise on ethnic and inter-religious basis among migrants themselves. Nowadays in European cities that once used to be calm, there are districts which were left by representative of indigenous population because of hazards to their life and health. They are inhabited by people of African and Asian descent [12].

In general, it is worth mentioning that the rapid influx of migrants and their cultural and educational differences from local population escalate the problem of socio-cultural affinity of any society and hinders integration processes. Moreover, establishment of ethnic communities and transformation of homogeneous countries into multi-ethnic and multi-cultural ones can result to large extent in social destabilization, increased social atomism, and polarization [7, p. 145].

Another concern in the context of migration processes influence on social security of separate countries is related to the criminal threat. The criminal threat presupposes not only the increased level of street crime, particularly in districts inhabited by immigrants, but also the development of transnational organized crime dealing with illegal border crossings, drug trafficking, arms and human trafficking.

Table 1