Migrations constantly accompany a country’s development. Their effects can be positive, but also negative in character. Positive effects can be enhanced, while the negative ones can be decreased through different measures that need to be implemented by the state on the one hand and NGOs on the other, as well as by the citizens individually.
In order to decrease the emigration rates, especially emigrations of experts and young people, a state should first of all create conditions that would reduce the citizens’ need to go to other countries. The measures include, first of all to boost economic development and to increase the employment rates, then to create conditions for self-realisation of the youth, to balance regional development, i.e. to de-centralise (‘de-metropolisize’) economic and social activities, etc.
In order to stimulate immigration of deficient occupations, a state should create favourable conditions for learning the languages that are spoken in the country, as well as providing conditions for professional development. In addition, useful would be a kind of ‘Dos and Don’ts’-list for every-day life activities in the new environment, as well as introducing a trial period stay for immigrants prior to making their final decision of staying there permanently.
NGO-sector has also a very important role in the context of migrations. NGOs should support and promote the concept of interculturalism as an important tool in harmonizing the community. In addition, they should influence the decision making processes in the area of migration policies, to promote ecumenism, to organise ecumenical activities and to incent cooperation among religious communities in the country. Furthermore, they should organise different activities in the area of culture and art, which would foster learning about other ethnic minorities. Apart from that, NGOs are important in the area of providing psychological support.
In order to reduce the unwanted emigration, each citizen should carefully re-evaluate their decision to leave their home-land. Also, they should work on increasing their levels of tolerance regarding current problems in their home-land. Furthermore, they should inform themselves about the living conditions in the country they want to emigrate to, such as living costs, historical, cultural and art background, legislations, especially laws about foreigners, etc. In addition, it is very important to learn the official language(s) of the country they want to emigrate to.
Aiming to ease the integration of immigrants in their new setting, citizens should overcome the stereotypes and prejudices and accept the differences as a form of enrichment, and not as a cause for becoming distant.
