Экономические аспекты приграничной иммиграции в Республику Беларусь

Abstract

The present research is the first to explore migration to regions in Belarus as an interrelated complex. The use of international approaches, in particular that of the European Commission as well as the original approach to the delineation of transborder territories and regions, the use of official statistical data of the Republic of Belarus permitted the author to assess the dynamics of transborder territories immigration with Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine over the period from 1998 to 2004. Special importance is given to the “close neighbours” as border countries and to the economic factors enhancing regional immigration in Belarus. The state conditions and preconditions, institutional and economic immigration factors identified here are to provide the UNDP in Belarus with possibilities to develop special mechanisms and instruments for legal and illegal immigration management. This study presents the comparison of the immigration rates, gives a definition of “transborder regions” and “transborder immigration” according to the new European neighbourhood programme policy and national approaches. The current problems of transborder regions development from the point of view of immigration management, significant for Belarusian economy, are presented here. They cannot be solved in the situation of the lack of financial resources without the necessity to attract external funds, including those of the UN.