SOCIOECONOMIC INTEGRATION OF ALBANIAN IMMIGRANTS IN THE TRANS- BORDERS AREAS

Abstract

In the last two decades in Europe and Greece an influx of economic immigrants from various parts of the world (India, Pakistan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Southeast Europe, the former Soviet Union, etc.) has taken place. In remote and disadvantaged border areas entrance and settlement of immigrants differs regarding not only their countries of origin but also the degree of integration into local society. The questions posed to the economy and host society preoccupied academic researchers and institutions to such extent that extensive research and studies have been developed. The present paper is a case study on the identity and role of economic immigrants in the border prefecture of Florina. Even before the Second World War the prefecture of Florina, whose welfare indicators are lower than the national average, had relations of cooperation with neighboring Albania and F.Y.R.O.M. During the Cold War it paid dearly for the "frontier" and then, since 1990, welcomed immigrants mainly from neighboring Albania. This trans-border immigration flow towards Florina went through three stages: initial settlement, the period of "prosperity" and the period of contraction due to the economic crisis. The object of this research is to map the professional identity, financial assistance and social burden to the system and the difficulties that the Albanian immigrants are facing due to the crisis in the prefecture of Florina. Contributions made to employment, financial contributions to social security services and services issuing permits, as well as participation in education are being recorded for the decade 2001 - 2011 by collecting data from local services. Additionally, an empirical sampling research with questionnaires took place, supplemented by personal interviews with Albanian immigrants, for a two month period between November and December 2012. The analysis of responses revealed the degree of socioeconomic integration, their attitude towards the host society, the intensity with which they experience the financial crisis and their expectations for their future.