In-betweenness and Migration Interdependence: Lessons from Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine

Abstract

In this paper, we draw on the concepts of in-betweenness and migration interdependence in order to investigate the vulnerability of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine due to their confl icting relations with Russia and the exposure of their economies to remittance flows from the latter. To achieve this goal, we explore whether and how migrant flows and remittance flows have diverged since 2014, when the three states signed their Association Agreements with the EU and their economic relations with Russia deteriorated. In this respect, we examine how interstate relations impact upon migration and remittances flows. After discussing in-betweenness and migration interdependence, we investigate the origin of the remittance inflows in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine and the destination of the migration outfl ows. We map the development of remittances from the World, Europe, and Russia and relate it with the development of their GDP using longitudinal data. A comparative analysis of our findings suggest that the three cases differ from each other, but, in all three cases, Russia has not used migration interdependence as leverage. We conclude that remittance flows in the three in-between states are more affected by the state of the global economy, the economic situation of Russia, and domestic circumstances rather than from interstate relations.

Untitled

“…This direction is supported in "How the Rear Works" (Samayeva, 2022), wherein the author investigates the capabilities of organisations in extremely diffi cult conditions to provide for military needs. The conclusions found in "In-betweenness and Migration Interdependence: Lessons from Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine" (Blouchoutzi, 2023) are valuable, because by examining the dependence of the economies of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine in similar confl ict conditions on money fl ows from Russia, and by analysing the number of migrants, the authors form the basis for forecasting trends in the development of the Ukrainian economy and the functioning of the labour market. The priority factors of negative infl uence appear in studies by Bencsik and Juhász (2023), who, investigating such factors' impact on the activities of organisations, shifted the focus of scientifi c research to the factor of technostress, which is not the only factor and should be considered in combination with other provocateurs of decreasing activity indicators.…”