Tunisian Migrants Exploring Different Routes to Reach Europe With Balkan Being Main One
The COVID-19 pandemic, energy and food consequences of the war in Ukraine, unemployment, and inflation have caused Tunisians to leave the country, regardless of age and gender; many of these nationals with their families are struggling to reach the European borders, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
Balkan Route is now regaining its popularity after being closed in 2016, with more Tunisians trying to reach Europe throughout this route. More specifically, Turkey is the starting point for these routes that organise and direct people smuggling networks, with migrants starting from Bosporus Strait, through Bulgaria, to Serbia or Romania, and finally to Hungary or Croatia. Albania, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina also serve as transit countries.
Data from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) reveals that nearly 150,000 people have entered the EU Member States via the Balkan route since the beginning of the year – four times more than in 2021. A total of 15,000 people were Tunisian migrants who had used one of the migratory alternatives in the Balkan route, potentially the Turkish-Serbian route, as statistics from the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights show.
The same reveals that less than 200 kilometres away, on the Italian shores, a close number of Tunisians entered the EU while searching for a better life. Although slightly safer than the sea route, the migratory land alternative of the Balkan is quite dangerous for migrants with the harsh conditions of the journey, the risk of violence from smugglers’ networks and security forces, and the possibility of being deported to the country of origin.
On the other hand, the Tunisian President, Kais Saied, blamed economic and social causes for the increasing number of migrations, although more than twenty Tunisian NGOs voiced their complaints against the Tunisian authorities, whom, according to these NGOs, don’t have a migration strategy.
“The economic and social causes must first be addressed to eliminate the phenomenon of irregular migration before relying solely on a security approach,” the Tunisian President said.
The EU is trying to address the issue, with Serbia having a specific role. Margaritis Schinas, the vice president of the European Commission, has revealed that the border situation in Serbia is contributing to a post-pandemic boom in irregular migration. Therefore, Brussels has allocated a €57 million fund to the Balkan country to address the issue, who have pledged to ensure that the visa regime remains with third countries and is not abused.
