Depopulation of the Balkans: how the EU periphery is hollowing out

The research focuses on the phenomenon of rapid depopulation of the Balkans. Despite the fact that this process has been going on continuously for three decades, and has been accelerating in recent years, it is not recognised by the local political elites and the European Union as an important threat. Declaring this process as an important threat would open up the question of the causes that led to it. The study reveals that one of the underlying causes of depopulation is the policy of the key EU members, primarily Germany. The affluent members of the European Union solve their own labor shortage problems by excessive emigration of population from the Balkans, which accelerates depopulation of the entire region. The author believes that the problems which arise because of this process can lead to a permanent lag in the development of the Balkans compared to the EU. Depopulation can result in the long-term weakening of state institutions and violating the collective rights of the Balkan peoples, and turning the entire region into a “migrant waiting room” for the European Union.

Balkans, depopulation, population census, european Union, european integration, migrant crisis