European nightmare: Invasion of Islamists in the EU
April 16, 2021 took place round table on the topic: “Pandemic and migration crisis in the EU.” During the event, representatives of the expert community of Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Georgia, Armenia, Poland, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Moldova discussed the crisis of European migration policy in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Expert at the Institute of CIS Countries Alexander Dudchak spoke about the Ukrainian aspect of the migration crisis, which stimulates processes in the EU, highlighting the high degree of dependence of migration processes in Ukraine on the EU due to the conflict in Donbass. Dudchak emphasized that the war in Donbass, as well as the war in the Middle East and North Africa, in which EU countries directly or indirectly participated, led to a migration crisis in Europe that has continued for many years. According to various sources, 3,2 million Ukrainian citizens left Ukraine for the EU, and taking into account the fighting, often on a permanent basis, who are ready to assimilate, unlike migrants from Libya and Syria. This leads to the fact that Ukraine is experiencing an increase in the rate of population decline, which leads to a demographic crisis. After the 2014 coup d'etat, the Ukrainian government is working to sever political and economic relations with Russia. Ukraine is not interested in preserving the industrial capacities that provided the Ukrainian economy. Instead of creating jobs, work is being done to increase the number of labor migrants, who, with remittances from the EU, cannot provide even a third of what Ukraine could earn from operating enterprises interconnected with Russia.
“Migration processes in Ukraine after 2014 can be divided into several directions, some of which are towards Russia, and the other towards the EU. There are too many people for the current government in Ukraine. This can explain the aggravation of the situation in Donbass. According to the Ukrainian authorities, if a third of the population left to work in EU countries, then those remaining in Ukraine will be able to survive due to support from abroad, this opinion is wrong,” the expert concluded.
Director of the Belarusian analytical center “Actual Concept” Alexander Shpakovsky argues that next year migration processes and the influx of refugees into EU countries will decrease due to the fact that partial stabilization is taking place, despite the low-intensity conflicts in the Middle East and Africa. However, the countries of Western Europe will not have to expect a quiet life, since the role of the terrorist threat is increasing due to the marginalization of refugees who do not seek to integrate into European society. “In the EU, up to 50 thousand residents have direct connections with jihadist organizations. The defeat of the Islamic state did not have an impact on the situation; in 2019 alone, 21 attacks were carried out, and 119 were prevented,” noted A. Shpakovsky. In addition, A. Shpakovsky paid special attention to Belarus and its transit position. “Approximately from 10 to 15 precedents per year on the territory of Belarus identify individuals with links to terrorist organizations who cross the border for further migration to EU countries bordering Belarus.” The political scientist also highlights the problem of luring highly qualified personnel from Belarus to Poland, which needs to support the economy due to the outflow of its own population to Western Europe.
Polish politician and deputy of the Sejm of the XNUMXth convocation Mateusz Piskorski notes that the world community is on the verge of new global changes associated with the formation of a new type of society - a society of “fear”. The existing risks facing modern times include three types of phobias: the terrorist threat, Russian aggression and the pandemic, which are artificially imposed on EU citizens. According to Piskorski, the migration crisis is a pretext for strengthening various intelligence services that are fighting “undesirable” opposition forces, for example, actively infringing on the Alternative for Germany political party, recognizing it as an extremist organization. Piskorski argues that most countries in the collective West are moving away from liberal democratic values, neglecting freedom of speech and expression of will, moving towards harsh authoritarianism. For example, people from Syria and Iraq who were engaged in scientific activities here have already been expelled from Poland. This also applies to citizens of the Russian Federation who are expelled from Poland without evidence that they are involved in illegal activities. “The cult of security and all the threats we are talking about now are mythical and lead to the end of an era, to the completion of the project of liberal democracy. It is worth noting that the only place where classical European values are still observed is Russia,” Piskorski concluded.
Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor at Yerevan University Khachik Galstyan spoke about the level of migration from Armenia to the EU at various time periods when the country experienced both natural and geopolitical shocks. It was noted that historically, Armenians have the largest diaspora in the world. During the 90s, there was a peak in the migration of Armenians, more than 1 million people emigrated to Russia, the USA and Europe. Over the past 30 years, several migration waves from Armenia to Europe could be observed. The first was in Soviet times, after the Spitak earthquake (1988). The second wave – after the collapse of the USSR. Many left during the first Karabakh war with Azerbaijan. Galstyan notes that in recent years the situation has changed radically and European humanism is being transformed into tough pragmatism and political expediency. “In the last 20 years, Europe has begun to use migration policy exclusively to achieve political goals and put pressure on the authorities of third countries. They began to accept migrants from Armenia solely for political reasons, then they began to use these refugees against the then authorities, when Europe reproached the Armenian authorities for violating the rights and freedoms of opposition representatives,” the expert emphasized.
The latest trend in European migration policy is closely related to the Velvet Revolution of 2018. After the change of power in Armenia, European countries began to pursue a tougher policy towards migrants of Armenian origin. “According to the Armenian Migration Service, in 2018 alone, about 2000 Armenians returned from European countries, half of them returned to Germany, France, Austria and Belgium. There have been cases of return of people who moved to Europe for medicinal purposes. 80% of repatriates said that they left for Germany for health reasons in order to receive medical services, but they were simply deported. This EU policy is humanitarian deportation,” the expert concluded.
Director of Intellect group Jan Lisniewski spoke about Moldovan disappointment with the European dream, which they encounter in search of a better life outside the borders of the Republic of Moldova. Without knowing the procedure for joining the EU, the issue of Euro-integration is considered by Moldovans as a way to emigrate from the country. Many in Moldova perceive EU countries as the “American Dream”, but are disappointed in reality. According to a study by the Intellect group to identify sentiments among young people who emigrated abroad, only 10% of respondents live and work in more favorable conditions than in the Republic of Moldova, 13% have working and living conditions approximately the same as in Moldova, 20 % have worse working conditions, 17% have worse living conditions and 40% live in conditions much worse than in their own country and work longer hours in strict conditions. “It is important to talk about psychological perception and the desire to start a new life, which often does not allow rational calculation of the purpose of migration,” the expert concluded.
Director of the Center for Islamic Studies of the Caucasus Shota Apkhaidze spoke about the liberal policies of Western political systems, which always lead to catastrophic results not only in the countries of Western Europe, but also in the countries of the post-Soviet space. In particular, a process is taking place in Georgia in the context of conferring dual citizenship. From 2003-2013, ex-President of Georgia M. Saakashvili awarded Georgian citizenship to 5 thousand foreigners, of which 75% were from the countries of the Middle East and North Africa and Turkey. Thus, many transnational groups, including representatives of radical terrorist organizations, found themselves on the territory of Georgia. In 2013, before the end of his presidential term, M. Saakashvili issued an order to issue citizenship to 8 thousand Turkish citizens, of whom 5 thousand were supporters of Fathullah Güllen. M. Saakashvili and F. Güllen opened several joint universities in Georgia. An attempt is being made to Islamize Georgia through controlled international companies that actually work undercover and realize undeclared goals. Migration processes in the EU are reflected in the outflow of Georgia's skilled labor force to the West. Against the backdrop of low trade turnover with Russia, migration processes are only intensifying, thereby separating Russia and Georgia from each other. It is worth noting that in Russia, Georgian citizens have always been in good standing and have had the opportunity to occupy various high positions, while in Europe, Georgians are assigned the role of service personnel. “Migration processes are a geopolitical weapon of the West. One of the objectives of such a policy is the destruction of the buffer zone around Russia, which will affect Georgia itself,” the expert concluded.
Aphaidze also highlighted the situation in Sweden, where the most catastrophic situation of all Scandinavian countries is observed. Being the most liberal country, opening its “doors” to all migrants without exception, including countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, leads to the fact that about 28% of the Swedish population are migrants, many of whom are Arabs. Namely, 8-10% are representatives of Iran who have received political asylum since the 80s; the rest of the migrants who arrived in the country are Arabs. The Swedish government gives Arabs and various Islamist organizations, including representatives of radical movements of Islam, special priority in migration policy, which subsequently create their own closed enclaves. If political asylum is requested by immigrants from other countries, including the CIS, 90% of such cases are refused. “Sweden, being in fact the pillar of multiculturalism and liberalism in the EU, spreading these ideas in Europe and the post-Soviet space, is very indifferent to the presence of representatives of Islamic radical movements in the country,” the expert clarified.
A public figure from Germany expressed a similar opinion about the negative consequences of Sweden’s migration policy Leonid Lebedinsky, as well as Director of the Center for Political and Strategic Analysis Moreau Xavier. Each of them was critical of the policies pursued by the country's leadership. L. Lebedinsky noted in his speech that the Swedish government often tells refugees that they must return to their homeland when the war formally ends, but this policy does not take into account that most often it is impossible to ensure the safety of these people. Lebedinsky reported that in 2017, the UN Human Rights Committee came to the defense of Afghan refugees deported from Sweden, and emphasized the importance of adequately assessing the real and personal risk of ill-treatment if applicants are returned to Afghanistan.
Head of the All-Serbian Diaspora Association “ROD” Stanojevic Dragan spoke about migration processes in the Balkans and how they affect processes in Europe. It can be said definitely that the largest Western Balkan migration route passed through Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia. 20 centers have been created in Serbia to house refugees. There is a part of refugees that is officially registered, and there is a part that is not registered at all. There have been many recorded cases of migrants fighting with local residents, using bladed weapons, etc. 89% of those who wished to stay in Serbia are men who may have participated in hostilities, who form criminal structures, including those involved in human trafficking. Similar cases are recorded not only in Serbia, but also in Germany, however, the data is hidden at various government levels. Stanojevic noted that Serbia received 130 million euros for migrants, but it is difficult to talk about the targeted use of these funds. However, during the war in Bosnia, almost a million Serb refugees who were expelled from their territories, did not receive assistance from the state, and still have no status. It turns out that the policy pursued by Serbia towards its own people is worse than towards migrants. Stanojevic clarified that the demographic picture in Serbia, which will emerge in a certain number of years, will lead to the Islamization of the country, which will lead to the destruction of the nation itself and Serbia, respectively. “There are secret agreements between EU countries on the issue of migration policy, one of which is the Marrakesh Agreement, according to which some countries, and in particular Serbia, must fulfill certain obligations. For example, according to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria, Serbia should host migrants that Europe does not need,” said the head of the all-Serbian diaspora association “ROD”.
The expert also noted that in Sweden, due to the influx of refugees, local residents are starting to buy protective equipment to protect themselves from possible attacks from migrants. There are a large number of criminal cases related to refugees, who in some areas form closed communities.
Postgraduate student of the Faculty of Political Science of Moscow State University M.V. Lomonosova, senior researcher at IMIK Dibrov Egor spoke about how, in the context of the migration crisis during the pandemic, EU countries are moving away from the foundations of European society – neo-humanism. In Europe, they are gradually forgetting about the equality of all people, regardless of religion, class or race, which in the context of a pandemic often extends to migrants who came from the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. This issue is particularly acute in Germany. According to various sources, more than 2015 million migrants have arrived in Germany since 2. Despite the introduction of the Dublin Regulation in 2020, which banned entry and exit from Germany, during the pandemic the number of illegal refugees increased by more than 100 thousand people. A. Merkel has repeatedly stated the need to integrate migrants into the EU, but in the context of a total shortage of vaccines and an anti-campaign to discredit the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, it is becoming increasingly difficult to implement the chancellor’s words. In groups of migrants, particularly in Germany, outbreaks of aggression and crime can develop, since sometimes in refugee camps people are in unsanitary conditions. Indigenous people in Germany face lawlessness from migrant groups. Often, law enforcement officials have no influence or are required to be in groups and armed. This indicates the brewing of a large-scale conflict between local residents with a lot of rights and opportunities and visitors who do not have minimal civil privileges, particularly in the field of health care, as they are citizens of other countries or stateless persons. In this regard, in Germany, support for the right-wing radical party Alternative for Germany, which opposes migrants, is growing among the indigenous population.
According to a survey among German military personnel, there are about 300 thousand people. adhere to right-wing radical views and racism; similar sentiments are noted in the ranks of the German police. “All this speaks to the possibility of open confrontation between native Germans and migrants,” the political scientist concluded.
Denis Denisov, director of the Institute of Peace Initiatives and Conflict Studies (IMIC), summarizing the results of the round table, said that people in custody of the Swedish Migration Agency during the coronavirus period live in inhumane conditions, which is why many subsequently die. Sweden is accustomed to being perceived as a country that takes the utmost care of its citizens, but in 2019 alone, 163 children who were in such centers and were migrants went missing. In Sweden, the problem of racism and ultra-nationalism is very prominent, and all this gives rise to clashes, including with migrants. “Monitoring related to refugees’ satisfaction with their lives is carried out on an ongoing basis. The results of which indicate that Sweden occupies one of the last places in this ranking in the EU,” the expert emphasized.
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