COMMON HOME PUBLICATION MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN SLOVAKIA Silvia Letavajová, Boris Divinský COMMON HOME series Mgr. Silvia Letavajová, PhD., Faculty of Arts of UKF in Nitra RNDr. Boris Divinský, independent expert in the field of international migration with support of Katarína Marinová and Miroslav Janák (Caritas Slovakia). This publication is part of MIND (Migration. Interconnectedness. Development), a 3-year project financed by the European Commission (DG DEVCO). The aim is to raise public awareness on the relation between sustainable development and migration and the European Union’s role in development cooperation. Led by Caritas Austria, the partners of the MIND project are: Caritas Bavaria (Germany), Caritas International Belgium, Caritas Bulgaria, Caritas Czech Republic, Caritas Europa, Caritas Italy, Cordaid (Caritas Netherlands), Caritas Portugal, Caritas Slovakia, Caritas Slovenia and Caritas Sweden. For more information about MIND follow the campaign: Authors: Mgr. Silvia Letavajová, PhD. a RNDr. Boris Divinský. Reviewers: Prof. PhDr. Jaroslav Čukan, CSc., doc. PhDr. Radoslav Štefančík, MPol., Doc. PhDr. Magdaléna Paríková, CSc. Contributions and editing by Olga Kadysheva, Patrick Taran, and Piyasiri Wickramasekara (Global Migration Policy Associates - GMPA) and Davide Gnes and Shannon Pfohman (Caritas Europa). This publication was proofread by Mauricio Ruiz and Richard Tuffs. Language correction: Marta Glossová. Text editors: Marta Glossová, Boris Divinský. Graphic design by Vanden Broele Group with the support of Leticia Lozano (Caritas Europa). Layout by Kateřina Novotná. Cover illustration by Jean Bernard Boulnois. Pictures in pubication showing the community of Iraqian refugees are from archive of integration project of Slovak NGO Pokoj a dobro. Print: Faxcopy.as, 64 pages. Printed volume: 200 pcs. Published by Caritas Slovakia, Kapitulská 18, 814 15 Bratislava, May 2019. © Caritas Slovakia, Silvia Letavajová and Boris Divinský This publication was produced in the framework of the MIND project, which has received financial support from the DEAR Programme of the European Union. The information contained in this publication does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Union. Caritas reserves the right to not be held responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information provided in this publication. Liability claims regarding damage caused by the use of any information provided, including any information which is incomplete or incorrect, will therefore be rejected. CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 7.1.2 Lack of access to education or business FOREWORD 5 opportunities 35 7.1.3 Lack of safe and legal pathways, CHAPTER 2 lack of access to or exclusion from EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 the refugee system and protection 37 CHAPTER 3 7.1.4 Adverse public opinion 37 THE COMMON HOME VISION AND VALUES; MIGRATION, 7.2 Country of origin 38 DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS 9 7.2.1 Escape from conflict and persecution due 3.1 Migration 10 to political, ethnic or religious differences 38 3.2 Development 10 7.2.2 Employment/Economic reasons 39 3.3 Migration and development 11 7.2.3 Socio-political reasons 39 CHAPTER 4 7.2.4 Political-military activities in the countries NATIONAL INTRODUCTION 13 of origin of refugees and migrants 39 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 8 THE NATIONAL MIGRATORY CONTEXT 15 OPPORTUNITIES FOR FACILITATING AND ENHANCING 5.1 Emigration 15 MIGRANTS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO DEVELOPMENT 41 5.2 Slovak diaspora 16 8.1 Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development 5.3 Immigration 16 Goals (SDGs) 41 8.2 National policies, practices and responses CHAPTER 6 that facilitate migrant contributions 42 REALITY ON THE GROUND: HOW MIGRANTS AND MIGRATION 8.2.1 National polices, practices and responses CONTRIBUTE TO DEVELOPMENT 21 that could facilitate migrant contributions 6.1 Towards places of residence/destination/transit 21 in all spheres of social life 42 6.1.1 Participation in the labour market 8.2.2 Profile and attitude of government and productive employment 21 policies and practices on international 6.1.2 Participation in business activity 24 development cooperation, humanitarian 6.1.3 Contribution to welfare system and assistance, and responses to sudden to sustaining viable national social surge of migrants and refugees 43 security systems 25 8.3 Promising national / transnational practices 6.1.4 Contribution to economic, social, cultural, on development from grassroots / CSOs and political development 26 / diaspora organisations 44 6.1.5 Immigrant / diaspora organisational 8.3.1 Examples of promising practices at local, presence and contribution 28 national or transnational level 45 6.2 Towards place of origin and shared responsibility 29 8.3.2 Examples of promising CSO involvement 46 6.2.1 Social and economic remittances 29 6.2.2 Contribution of migrant diaspora CHAPTER 9 and organisations 30 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 49 9.1 Conclusions 49 CHAPTER 7 9.2 Recommendations 51 OBSTACLES THAT IMPEDE MIGRANTS' FULL CONTRIBUTIONS TO DEVELOPMENT 33 REFERENCES 55 7.1 Country of residence / destination / transit 33 List of interviewed persons 62 7.1.1 Lack of protection and respect for and List of abbreviations 63 enforcement of human and labour rights 33 CHAPTER 1 FOREWORD igration is a phenomenon that has permanently Migrants come to Slovakia, either because they are forced Minfluenced the history of mankind, and it has at to do so by unfavourable circumstances, or because they some point affected the lives of every one of us. Over the last want to acquire new knowledge and opportunities in three centuries, Slovakia has experienced higher emigration another country. But thanks to their presence we have an than immigration. Slovaks who left to find better work opportunity to express and share our values, and at the same opportunities or fled totalitarian regimes have contributed time we are challenged to relate to and to accept different to building a better society in their countries of residence experiences, different world views and different capabilities. and developed capabilities they probably could not have achieved had they stayed at home. We like talking about Admittedly, so far, we have not seriously taken up this successful Slovak emigrants/Slovaks abroad, and are proud challenge. Compared to other European countries, there of their achievements. Slovakia welcomes their return home are fewer foreigners in Slovakia – at the end of 2018, to apply their new experience in Slovakia. foreign citizens with a permit to stay in the country amounted to 2.2% of its population. Thus, only a few After Slovakia’s accession to the European Union in 2004 Slovaks have a neighbour, friend or colleague with an and to the Schengen Area in 2007, Slovakia has become immigrant background. Moreover, we easily succumb to a more attractive country for foreigners. We are not just simplifications as public opinion does not differentiate well a transit country anymore but also a destination country between reliable information and fake news. That is why, in that offers interesting job opportunities. Therefore, it is such a context, it is more important than ever to rely on the high time to change the way we look at migration and knowledge and expertise of experts who understand and realise that people coming to Slovakia seek a better life capture the issues in all their complexity. and share an interest in developing our country, just like Slovaks going abroad. If we give them the means to develop The Common Home research is based on an extensive set their own competencies they will contribute, not only to of data and an in-depth analysis covering migration and the well-being of Slovak society, but also to that of their development. It describes the way migrants contribute to country of origin. the development of our society, not only from an economic point of view, but also culturally, socially and politically, In Slovakia, the current public discourse on migration whether as individuals or as groups and organisations. The ignores the fact that foreigners can contribute to the research also identifies the obstacles that weaken migrants’ development of our country. The topic of migration has capacity to become development actors and draws a set of evoked fears and debates that mostly focus on potential conclusions and recommendations that can help us create risks but do not reflect on any of the possible benefits. our “Common Home”. The recommendations specifically According to the Eurobarometer survey in autumn 2018, examine how to provide migrants with an opportunity to as many as 81% of Slovak citizens hold more or less negative participate in societal life, as well as on how to positively feelings on immigration from non-EU countries. link migration to sustainable development. This publication assumes that the creation of “Common Home” is a two- On the one hand, it is understandable to be more cautious way process that involves the participation not only of about people we are not familiar with, but on the other, immigrants themselves but also of society as a whole. new developments may open up opportunities we cannot now anticipate. 5 The MIND project was launched in 2017. MIND, which stands for Migration. Interconnectedness. Development, is a three-year European Caritas project supported by the European Commission. It includes Caritas organisations in 11 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden as along with the regional secretariat of Caritas