WHAT IS PREVENTING SUCCESSFUL IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN SOCIETIES?

Abstract

This article examines the factors which prevent or considerably decelerate the process of immigrant2 integration in the Central and Eastern European countries. In this research the CEE region includes countries that satisfy the two following conditions: 1. countries that are geographically within the Central-East Europe region; 2. countries that hold a membership of the EU.3 The choice of criteria is based on common political tendencies and societal responses which are evident in selected countries as a result of the ongoing European migrant crisis. Preventing factors of immigrant integration are examined at political, social and economic levels. Both migrant perspective and the CEE countries` integration policies are examined in-depth, in order to reveal reasons for poor implementation of suggested quota system and less successful immigrant adaptation strategy in the CEE area. Since the integration of newcomers is a two-way communication, this study has to take into consideration not only countries` migration policies and openness towards newcomers but also readiness of refugees and asylum seekers to integrate and adapt into new environment.