European nightmare: Invasion of Islamists in the EU
On April 16, 2021, a roundtable discussion on "The Pandemic and Migration Crisis in the EU" was held. During the event, expert representatives from Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Georgia, Armenia, Poland, Belarus, and Moldova discussed the crisis in European migration policy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alexander Dudchak, an expert at the CIS Institute, discussed the Ukrainian aspect of the migration crisis, which is stimulating processes in the EU, highlighting the high degree of dependence of migration processes in Ukraine on the EU due to the conflict in Donbas. Dudchak emphasized that the war in Donbas, as well as the wars in the Middle East and North Africa, in which EU countries were directly or indirectly involved, have led to a migration crisis in Europe that has been ongoing for many years. According to various sources, 3,2 million Ukrainian citizens have left Ukraine for the EU, often permanently, given the fighting. They are willing to assimilate, unlike migrants from Libya and Syria. This has led to an accelerating population decline in Ukraine, leading to a demographic crisis. Since the 2014 coup, the Ukrainian government has been working to sever political and economic ties with Russia. Ukraine is not interested in preserving the industrial capacity that supported the Ukrainian economy. Instead of creating jobs, efforts are being made to increase the number of labor migrants, who, through remittances from the EU, cannot provide even a third of what Ukraine could earn from operating enterprises connected to 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.
Alexander Shpakovsky, director of the Belarusian think tank "Aktualnaya Kontseptsiya," asserts that migration and refugee influx into EU countries will decline next year due to the partial stabilization that is occurring, despite low-intensity conflicts in the Middle East and Africa. However, Western European countries shouldn't expect peace, as the terrorist threat is growing due to the marginalization of refugees who are reluctant to integrate into European society. "In the EU, up to 50 residents have direct ties to jihadist organizations. The defeat of the Islamic State has had no impact on the situation; in 2019 alone, 21 attacks were committed, and 119 were prevented," Shpakovsky noted. He also focused on Belarus and its transit status. "Approximately 10 to 15 cases a year are identified in Belarus of individuals linked to terrorist organizations who cross the border to migrate 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 its economy due to the outflow of its own population to Western Europe.
Polish politician and member of the fifth Sejm, Mateusz Piskorski, notes that the global community is on the threshold of new global changes associated with the emergence of a new type of society – a "society of fear." Three types of phobia, artificially imposed on EU citizens, should be considered among the existing risks facing modern times: the terrorist threat, Russian aggression, and the pandemic. According to Piskorski, the migration crisis is a pretext for strengthening various intelligence agencies that are fighting "unfavorable" opposition forces, for example, by actively suppressing the Alternative for Germany political party, designating it an extremist organization. Piskorski asserts that most countries in the collective West are moving away from liberal democratic values, disregarding freedom of speech and expression, and moving toward harsh authoritarianism. For example, Poland has already expelled people from Syria and Iraq who were engaged in scientific research there. This also applies to Russian citizens who are expelled from Poland without evidence of involvement in illegal activities. "The cult of security and all the threats we're discussing now are mythical and lead to the end of an era, to the end of the liberal democratic project. It's worth noting that the only place where classical European values are still observed is Russia," Piskorski concluded.
Khachik Galstyan , a political scientist and professor at Yerevan State University, discussed migration from Armenia to the EU at various points in time, when the country experienced both natural and geopolitical upheavals. He noted that, historically, Armenians have the largest diaspora in the world. The 90s saw a peak in Armenian migration, with over 1 million people emigrating to Russia, the United States, and Europe. Over the past 30 years, several waves of migration from Armenia to Europe have been observed. The first occurred during Soviet times, following the Spitak earthquake (1988). The second wave occurred after the collapse of the USSR. Many left during the first Karabakh war with Azerbaijan. Galstyan notes that the situation has changed radically in recent years, and European humanism is transforming into strict pragmatism and political expediency. "Over the past 20 years, Europe has begun to use migration policy exclusively to achieve political goals and pressure the authorities of third countries. "Armenia began accepting migrants solely for political reasons, and then these refugees were used against the authorities of the time, 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.
Intellect Group Director Jan Lisnevsky spoke about Moldovans' disillusionment with the European dream, which they encounter in their search for a better life beyond Moldova's borders. Unaware of the EU accession process, Moldovans see European integration as a way to emigrate. Many in Moldova view EU countries as the "American Dream," but are disillusioned with the reality. According to an Intellect Group study assessing the attitudes of young people who have emigrated abroad, only 10% of respondents live and work in more favorable conditions than in 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 significantly worse than in their own country and work longer hours under strict conditions. "It is also important to consider psychological perceptions and the desire to start a new life, which often prevents rational calculation of the purpose of migration," the expert concluded.
Shota Apkhaidze, Director of the Center for Islamic Studies of the Caucasus, spoke about the liberal policies of Western political systems, which always lead to catastrophic results not only in Western European countries but also in the post-Soviet space. In particular, a process involving dual citizenship is underway in Georgia. From 2003 to 2013, former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili granted Georgian citizenship to 5 foreigners, 75% of whom were from the Middle East and North Africa, including Turkey. This allowed numerous transnational groups, including representatives of radical terrorist organizations, to establish themselves in Georgia. In 2013, before the end of his presidential term, Saakashvili issued an order granting citizenship to 8 Turkish citizens, 5 of whom were supporters of Fathullah Güllen. Saakashvili and Fathullah Güllen opened several joint universities in Georgia. An attempt is being made to Islamize Georgia through controlled international companies that operate undercover and pursue undeclared goals. Migration processes in the EU are reflected in the outflow of skilled Georgian labor to the West. Against the backdrop of low trade turnover with Russia, migration processes are only intensifying, thereby driving Russia and Georgia apart. It's worth noting that Georgian citizens have always been well-regarded in Russia and have had the opportunity to occupy various high-ranking positions, while in Europe, Georgians are relegated to service roles. "Migration processes are a geopolitical weapon of the West. One of the goals of this policy is to destroy the buffer zone around Russia, which will also impact 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.
German public figure Leonid Lebedinsky and Xavier Moreau , Director of the Center for Political and Strategic Analysis, expressed similar opinions about the negative consequences of Sweden's migration policy. Each expressed criticism of the country's leadership's policies. Lebedinsky noted in his speech that the Swedish government often informs refugees that they must return to their homeland when the war formally ends, but this policy completely ignores the fact that it is often impossible to ensure their safety. Lebedinsky reported that in 2017, the UN Human Rights Committee defended Afghan refugees deported from Sweden and emphasized the importance of adequately assessing the applicants' real and personal risk of abuse if they are returned to Afghanistan.
Dragan Stanojević, head of the All-Serbian Diaspora Association "ROD," spoke about migration processes in the Balkans and how they impact processes in Europe. It's safe to say that the largest Western Balkan migration route passed through Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia. Twenty refugee centers have been established in Serbia. Some refugees are officially registered, while others are not registered at all. Numerous cases have been recorded of migrants fighting with local residents, using bladed weapons, etc. Eighty-nine percent of those who chose to remain in Serbia are men who may have participated in hostilities or formed criminal organizations, including those involved in human trafficking. Similar cases are recorded not only in Serbia but also in Germany, yet the data is concealed at various government levels. Stanojević noted that Serbia received €130 million for migrants, but it's difficult to determine the intended use of these funds. However, during the Bosnian war, nearly a million Serbian refugees expelled from their territories received no state assistance and still have no status. It appears that Serbia's policies toward its own people are worse than those toward migrants. Stanojevic clarified that the demographic picture in Serbia that 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 itself. "There are secret agreements between EU countries regarding migration policy, one of which is the 'Marrakesh Agreement,' under which certain countries, including Serbia, are required to fulfill certain obligations. For example, according to a statement by the former Austrian Foreign Minister, Serbia must accommodate migrants that Europe does not need," noted 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.
Egor Dibrov, a postgraduate student in the Faculty of Political Science at Lomonosov Moscow State University and a senior research fellow at the Institute of International Relations (IMIC) , discussed how, amid the migration crisis during the pandemic, EU countries are moving away from the foundations of European society—neo-humanism. Europe is gradually abandoning the idea of equality for all people, regardless of religion, class, or race, which, during the pandemic, often extends to migrants from the Middle East and North Africa. This issue is particularly acute in Germany. According to various sources, more than 2 million migrants have arrived in Germany since 2015. Despite the introduction of the Dublin Regulation in 2020, which banned entry into and exit from Germany, the number of illegal refugees has increased by more than 100 during the pandemic. Angela Merkel has repeatedly stated the need to integrate migrants into the EU, but amid a widespread vaccine shortage and a campaign to discredit the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, implementing the Chancellor's words is becoming increasingly difficult. Outbreaks of aggression and crime can develop among migrant groups, particularly in Germany, as refugee camps sometimes accommodate people in unsanitary conditions. Native Germans face lawlessness from migrant groups. Law enforcement officials are often powerless or are required to remain in groups and be armed. This indicates the brewing of a large-scale conflict between local residents, who have significant rights and opportunities, and newcomers who lack basic civil rights, particularly in the area of healthcare, as citizens of other countries or stateless. Consequently, support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), a party opposed to migrants, is growing among the German 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 for Peace Initiatives and Conflictology (IMIC), summed up the roundtable discussion and explained that people detained by the Swedish Migration Agency are living in inhumane conditions during the coronavirus pandemic, leading to many deaths. Sweden is often perceived as a country that takes the utmost care of its citizens, but in 2019 alone, 163 migrant children in such detention centers went missing. Racism and ultra-nationalism are prominent issues in Sweden, and these factors fuel clashes, including with migrants. "We conduct ongoing monitoring of refugees' satisfaction with their lives. The results show that Sweden ranks among the lowest in the EU in this regard," the expert emphasized.
European Nightmare : The Islamist Invasion of the EU