Cross-border mobility and strategies of development among returned Moldavian immigrants

Abstract

Borders and human mobility have become key elements in the development of the global society of the twenty-first century. Growing attention to the development potential of migration has recently raised a new concern regarding the issue of return migration. Linked to this, the debate on the migration-development nexus considers circulation to foster development as it enhances the flow of financial, social and cultural capital to the countries of origin. This paper links cross-border mobility and return to development migration. Taking into account the historical, geopolitical and social changes in Moldova, the paper examines the perceptions of mobility and return for development of the Moldovans engaged in emigration in the countries of the European Union. Using a multi-discipline approach and ethnographic research (in-depth interviews) conducted among Moldovan migrants in their home country, this paper seeks to analyse how mobility and return can support social change and development within the country.

Keyword:

• cross-border mobility
• development
• return
• Moldova
• Re-integration

Acknowledgements

This article comes as a result of the research project entitled: ‘Eastern European Migration to Spain in the context of border geopolitics: circulatory mobility and return,’ (CSO 2010-14870), with funding from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and coordination by the author.

Notes

1. According to IOM specialists L. Vasilova and T. Jordan, interviews collected in April 2011 showed that 90% of remittances were used for consumables, while 10% were destined to development.

2. Of these, 237,690 live in countries of the EU.

3. The GDP per capita was 2,500 USD in 2008 (7,800 USD in Ukraine; 12,500 USD in Romania; and 33,800 USD in the EU. World Bank: Report No. 55195-Moldova; April 4, 2011.

4. http://www.border.gov.md, accessed August 17, 2012.

5. During the months of July 2010–April 2011, I undertook field work within the framework of a project on mobility and return (CSO2010.14870).

6. Even though previously I contacted the local counsellors later, I used the snowball technique and interviewed returning Moldovans in public places (official offices, and cafés) or in their homes.

7. Aside from the interview with the IOM coordinator, the rest of the interviews were conducted entirely in Romanian and then translated into English.

8. Grounded theory is a method that begins by collecting data and by means of the data there are detected codes by which information is extracted. The codes are grouped according to similar concepts from which categories that offer a basis for a reverse-engineering theory or hypothesis are formed.

9. Romanian citizenship Law 21/1991 http://legislatie.resurse-pentrudemocratie.org/21_1991.php, http://www.romanianpassport.co.il/english/romanian-citizenship-law/ accessed September 22, 2012.

10. http://romanialibera.ro/actualitate/eveniment/de-10-ori-maimulte-cereri-pentru-cetatenia-romana-196678.html accessed August 4, 2012.

11. ‘Evadarea din Chisinau spre Europa’ Romania libera 9 Mai, 2011. http://www.romanialibera.ro/exclusiv-rl/reportaj/evadarea-din-chisinau-spre-europa-cum-devin-moldovenii-romani-cu-acte-in-regula-224748.html, accessed August 7, 2012.

12. EU commissioner welcomes Moldova’s progress on visa free regime agenda’ – Söderköping Process. http://soderkoping.org.ua/page28732.html, accessed August 7, 2012.

13. The IOM initiative, Mission to Moldova, is implementing a three-year project, ‘Supporting the implementation of the migration and development component of the EU-Moldova Mobility Partnership,’ in order to minimize the negative effects of migration and to harness the benefits for development purposes.

14. On November 22, 2010, the pilot Program on Attracting Remittances into the Economy PARE 1 + 1 was launched. The programme aims to stimulate the transfer of remittances through official channels, transfer knowledge and know-how, facilitate the access of migrants to funds, and create new places of work in Moldova.

15. Approximately 80% of the population had never travelled to an EU country (except for Romania). Only 11% indicated that they would travel to an EU country for employment in the following year if allowed to circulate without a visa. http://ipp.md/libview.php?l=ro&idc=150&id=562, accessed July 2, 2012.

16. http://www.europalibera.org/content/article/1816928.html, accessed June 15, 2011.