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ARMENIA: FORTY PERCENT OF GALLUP POLL RESPONDENTS WANT OUT
EurasiaNet.org, NY
April 4 2013
Armenia has had various firsts in its history -- from establishing
Christianity as a state religion to setting up a winery -- but now,
it has scored the lesser honor of being named in a Gallup poll as
the post-Soviet country residents are most eager to leave.
Based on personal interviews with 41,072 people throughout 12 former
Soviet republics between 2010 and 2012, the survey found that 40
percent of the Armenian respondents would like to move permanently to
another country. (The number of respondents was not provided. Online
data sets reflected numbers only for 2005 and 2006.)
Moldova, at 32 percent, followed in second place.
By comparison, Armenia's Caucasus neighbors, Georgia and Azerbaijan,
were far less inclined to acknowledge their willingness to seek
greener grass for good -- a mere 14 percent of the respondents in
both countries. Respondents in Caucasus player Russia expressed the
same level of wanderlust.
Armenia long has topped the charts for labor migration; most
particularly to Russia, but also to Europe and the United States.
After a brief economic rally, malaise set in for good with the 2009
international financial crisis. Despite various attempts by the
government to kickstart the economy, unemployment, according to
unofficial estimates, remains dizzily high, at well over 50 percent.
The Gallup survey reflects that trend. Fifty-two percent of the
respondents polled throughout all 12 countries cited improving
standards of living as their main reason for wanting to move abroad.
At 13 percent of those interviewed, securing a better future for
their children trailed far behind as a reason.
Armenia is well aware of its migration problem. It recently
successfully pushed for the closure of a Russian migration program
that offered applicants cash, citizenship, and accommodation to move
for work to Russia, the destination of most Armenian migrants.
The easing of European Union visa rules, anticipated for 2013, though,
could raise fresh concerns. The EU last month allotted 1 million euros
(over $1.28 million) to Armenia for a migration program, which, among
other aims, would further the "prevention of emigration," in the words
of Armenian Deputy Labor and Social Affairs Minister Araik Petrosian.
Others, though, pointing at perceptions of rampant corruption within
the country and scant signs of political change, believe that larger
issues must first be addressed before more Armenians will agree that,
east or west, home is best.
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/66784
EurasiaNet.org, NY
April 4 2013
Armenia has had various firsts in its history -- from establishing
Christianity as a state religion to setting up a winery -- but now,
it has scored the lesser honor of being named in a Gallup poll as
the post-Soviet country residents are most eager to leave.
Based on personal interviews with 41,072 people throughout 12 former
Soviet republics between 2010 and 2012, the survey found that 40
percent of the Armenian respondents would like to move permanently to
another country. (The number of respondents was not provided. Online
data sets reflected numbers only for 2005 and 2006.)
Moldova, at 32 percent, followed in second place.
By comparison, Armenia's Caucasus neighbors, Georgia and Azerbaijan,
were far less inclined to acknowledge their willingness to seek
greener grass for good -- a mere 14 percent of the respondents in
both countries. Respondents in Caucasus player Russia expressed the
same level of wanderlust.
Armenia long has topped the charts for labor migration; most
particularly to Russia, but also to Europe and the United States.
After a brief economic rally, malaise set in for good with the 2009
international financial crisis. Despite various attempts by the
government to kickstart the economy, unemployment, according to
unofficial estimates, remains dizzily high, at well over 50 percent.
The Gallup survey reflects that trend. Fifty-two percent of the
respondents polled throughout all 12 countries cited improving
standards of living as their main reason for wanting to move abroad.
At 13 percent of those interviewed, securing a better future for
their children trailed far behind as a reason.
Armenia is well aware of its migration problem. It recently
successfully pushed for the closure of a Russian migration program
that offered applicants cash, citizenship, and accommodation to move
for work to Russia, the destination of most Armenian migrants.
The easing of European Union visa rules, anticipated for 2013, though,
could raise fresh concerns. The EU last month allotted 1 million euros
(over $1.28 million) to Armenia for a migration program, which, among
other aims, would further the "prevention of emigration," in the words
of Armenian Deputy Labor and Social Affairs Minister Araik Petrosian.
Others, though, pointing at perceptions of rampant corruption within
the country and scant signs of political change, believe that larger
issues must first be addressed before more Armenians will agree that,
east or west, home is best.
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/66784