Religio-Centric Migrant Policies of the Eastern Europe
Authors: KARAKOÇ DORA Zuhal 
Published: June 2020

AbstractMigration has been the most specific characteristics of the human being
and the initial step of globalization since the beginning of history. In
today’s world, while globalization and migration continue to feed each other,
states are seeking ways to cope up with growing numbers of newcomers. While
states have been in search of the “better” and have taken steps accordingly, they
have been trying to restrict the “others” to do the same. Walls have been
erected or wars have been made to keep the territories safe for the inhabitants
by keeping the others on the other side of the borders. However, the definition
of the “others” has continually changed from region to region and from time to
time. On one hand, universal and regional norms and values are discussed and,
on the other hand, specific and marginal measures are considered. As being the
Christian Roman Heritage, European perception of “identity” and the “other” has
mostly been constructed on the fear of invasions coming from the East that hold
Muslim identity since the first Islamic conquests on East and West Roman
territories. This being the case, a fear of Islam is triggered after the
refugee crisis stimulated by the Syrian civil war. Though there are many other
determining factors in migrant policies, significant religio-centric refugee
policies of the countries in Eastern Europe and the answer of why religion, culture,
and the politics are too much interlocked lie in the historical and cultural
ties of Europe. SummaryHuman beings have always been on the move since they existed. Though
its form and purpose might change in due course, the mobility itself has been
remaining as one of the most specific characteristics of human. With the rise
of globalization; the feeling and action of migration to flee from conflicts,
natural disasters, or economic problems in the search for better conditions
increased. In today’s world, while globalization and migration continue to feed
each other, states are seeking ways to cope up with growing numbers of
newcomers. The reaction towards migrants and refugees became more and more
systematic with the changing conditions of the world. Strengthening borders and
levelling up the security measures have turned into a policy which is
established for the sake of protecting the nation and the nation-state in one
hand. And on the other hand, these measures are also taken to protect the
national identity, which is composed of religion and culture as well as
language and history. In the case of Europe, and specifically, Eastern Europe, these
measures have clearly been seen during the last decade. Though migration is not a new phenomenon for Europe, it has been more
sweeping than ever before. Especially the year 2015 was a milestone in the aspect
of migration policies. After the Syrian crisis erupted in 2011, caused by the
internal instability in Syria, millions of people replaced both within and
beyond the country. Though the war in Syria had been going on for four years
until then, the illegal immigration to Europe reached its peak in 2015. In
October 2015, the monthly number of the refugees entering Europe, 218.394, was
almost equivalent to the total that entered over the whole of 2014, and more
than 50 per cent of these were Syrians. Europe has been one the most attractive
destinations for both Syrians and other migrants fleeing from the East and the
Middle East due to economic, political, and social problems. During the wake of the crisis, there was a sharp contradiction within
Europe. Eastern Europe has adopted a sharper political discourse in rejecting
migrant-friendly policies. Though their style of the discourses differs from
West to East, it is understood from the results of the elections throughout
Europe that the perception towards migrants is more or less the same all around
Europe. It is well seen in the public surveys that every other day people are
getting more anxious about the migrants and their voting tendencies are shaped
according to migration policies of the political parties. Throughout Europe, far-right
parties who are strictly against Muslim migrants are becoming the parts of the
governing coalitions.In spite of the consensus of politicians and the approach of the
citizens are generally very much similar in practice, the political discourse
of the West and the East differs. This might be due to the integration process
of the East resulting from the effects of the Cold War which left them more
than 40 years back. While the West had already started focusing on the elements
like democracy, respect of human rights, pluralism, non-discrimination, and
tolerance, the East was putting up a fight for liberty. Therefore, it would not
be easy for the Eastern countries of the EU, who became a member of the Union
after the 2000s, to close this gap immediately in the first place. In spite of
the fact that they all share some common historical or cultural links, the East
had a lot to overcome in many aspects, from economy to ideology and from
abstract values of pluralism to non-discrimination. As the political culture of
Western Europe is more settled, while they prefer more abstract ways; Eastern
Europe, who still needs years to interiorize the European norms, does not seem
to hesitate to prefer a more direct and offending language. It is known that history, religion, sectarian differences, geopolitical
and geostrategic substances are interrelated among the factors that determine
the political reflexes of the countries and historical legacy is a prominent
element in constructing the identities of the nations. In the same way, the identity
of the EU, specifically Eastern Europe, is mostly constructed on the historical
links which include common identity and values. Being ruled by the Ottomans
-whose identity is coded as Muslim- and having lived under a communist regime
for decades made them attached to religion in most ways. Developing a religious
resistance against a religious threat and attaching to religion after being
kept far from religion during the Cold War had a traumatic effect on the
perception of threat on the East. But it should be remembered that the more
otherised the migrants are, the more radicalized they become in time. During
the age of global migration, for the future safety of the communities,
migration policies should be carried out from humanitarian and security perspectives;
not according to the religious or ethnic backgrounds of the immigrants. Human
rights, multiculturalism, respect to the differences are not just definitions
written on the conventions; but the universal values of humanity to be
inherited by future generations and adopted by successor governments.