Dr. Albana Shehaj and Dr. Valbona Zeneli
The Western Balkans (WB) have faced significant population losses due to emigration over the past decades. Countries in the region have seen approximately 10-30% of their populations emigrate abroad in search of economic relief. Young, educated workers make up a large portion of those leaving as wages are low and unemployment in the region remains high. Surveys show that the average citizens are unhappy with the state of affairs in their country and are economically and institutionally motivated to leave the region.
Pull factors attract emigrants to Western European countries with more plentiful work and higher living standards. Generous social benefits also make destinations like Germany appealing. As income and institutional quality gaps between the Western Balkans and the EU continue to widen, these push-pull dynamics will only strengthen going forward. To make things worse, the region’s populations is aging, young people are leaving, and fertility rates have collapsed. These three factors are strongly interlinked, creating a hard-to-break vicious cycle that most Southeastern European countries are currently facing.