Abstract
A major phenomenon in Central Europe in the last decade has been the dramatic growth of international mobility and diversification of international population flows. This is reflected in the data on border traffic in a most striking way. In the late 1990s Poland and the Czech Republic each registered more than quarter of a billion border-crossings (entries to and exits from their territories) annually, and Hungary and Slovakia more than hundred million each. The ratio of foreign visitors to the population of the country is about 10:1 for the Czech Republic, 4:1 for Hungary and more than 2.3:1 for Poland.’ Of course a small part of the border traffic is migration. How much is unclear, due to a significant share of irregular migration in total migratory flows. Yet observers agree that various migratory and quasi-migratory flows to the region in the 1990s have transformed it from a region with a negative migration balance to a positive one. This growth is particularly visible in comparison to the pre-transition period and also to more distant history. Except for the Czech lands — the most western part of the region geographically as well as in terms of urbanisation and industrialisation — immigration into the countries of Central Europe before 1989 was very low.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Biffl, G. (ed.) (1997) Migration, Free Trade and Regional Integration in Central and Eastern Europ, Vienna: Verlag Oesterreich.
Czako, A. and E. Sik (1999) ‘Characteristics and Origins of the Comecon Open Air Markets in Hungary’, International Journal of Urban and Regional Researc, 23 (4), 715–37.
Czech Alien and Border Police. Data on border traffic.
Expert Group (1995) Report of the Expert Group on the Five Themes Selected for Examination by the Budapest Grou.. Third meeting of the Budapest Group, Zürich, September 1995.
Expert Group (1996) The Need for Reinforced Cooperation between All European States to Tackle Illegal Migratio.. Report to the Budapest Group. Fourth meeting of the Budapest Group, Zürich, 1996.
Gazeta Wyborcza (Warsaw daily newspaper, 25.6.99) Uchodzcy z Kosowa’.
GUS (1996a) Ruch graniczny i wydatki cudzoziemcôw w Polsce oraz Polakôw za granica w I pôlrocz. 199, Warszawa: GUS.
GUS (1996b) Ruch graniczny i wydatki cudzoziemcôw w Polsce w 1995 r, Warszawa: GUS.
Hann, Ch. and I. Hann (1992) ‘Samovars and Sex on Turkey’s Russian Markets’, Anthropology Toda, 8 (4).
Iglicka, K. (1999) The Economics of Petty Trade on the Eastern Polish Border’, in K. Iglicka and K. Sword (eds), The Challenge of East—West Migration for Polan, London: Macmillan.
Instytut Turystyki (1996) Turystyka Polska 1995’. 6dz: Instytut Turystyki.
IOM (International Organization for Migration) (1994a) Transit Migration in Hungar, Geneva: IOM.
IOM (International Organization for Migration) (1994b) Transit Migration in Polan, Geneva: IOM.
IOM (International Organization for Migration) (1994c) Transit Migration in the Czech Republi, Geneva: IOM.
Juhasz, J. et al. (1999) Country Studies on Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking: the Case of Hungar, Budapest: Report for IOM.
Lavenex, S. (1999) Safe Third Countries: Extending the EU Asylum and Immigration Policies to Central and Eastern Europ, Budapest: CEU Press.
Malinowska, E. and B. Wyznikiewicz (1998) Handel targowiskowy w 1997 rok, Gdansk: Instytut Badan nad Gospodarka Rynkowa.
Morokvasic, M. (1997) Transit Migration: the IOM Approach and Beyon, Paper presented at the Conference ‘Central and Eastern Europe — New Migration Space’, Pultusk.
Morokvasic, M. and A. de Tinguy (1993) ‘Between East and West: a New Migratory Space’ in H. Rudolph and M. Morokvasic (eds), Bridging States and Markets. International Migration in the Early 1990, Berlin: Sigma.
Okôlski, M. (1994) ‘Migracje zagraniczne w Polsce w latach 1980–1989. Zarys problematyki badawczej’, Studia Demograficzn, 3 (117).
Okblski, M. (1997) New Migration Trends in Central and Eastern Europe in the 1990, ISS Working Papers, Warsaw.
Okblski, M. (1998) Imigranci. Przyczyny naplywu, cechy demograficzno-spoleczne, funkcjonowanie w spoleczenstwie polski, ISS Working Papers, Warsaw.
Okôlski, M. (1999) Migrant Trafficking in Poland: Actors, Mechanisms, Combatin, ISS Working Papers, Warsaw.
Polish Border Guard (1999) State Border Protection and Border Traffic Control Basic Statistical Dat. Warsaw.
Sik, E. (1997) ‘The Spatial Distribution of Informal Marketplaces and Informal Foreign Traders in Contemporary Hungary’, Paper presented at the conference ‘Central and Eastern Europe — New Migration Space’, Pultusk.
Sik, E. (1999) The Origins of the Comecon Open Air Market’, International Journal of Urban and Regional Researc, 23 (4), 715–37.
Sik, E. and C. Wallace (1998) ‘Understanding Markets in Post-communist Eastern Europe’, International Journal of Urban and Regional Researc, 23 (4), 697–714.
Stola, D. (1992) ‘Forced Migrations in Central European History’, International Migration Revie, 98 (Summer), 324–41.
Stola, D. (1997) Mechanizmy i uwarunkowania migracji zarobkowych do Polsk, ISS Working Papers, Warsaw.
Stola, D. (1998) ‘Migrations in Central and Eastern Europe’, International Migration Revie, 124 (Winter).
Stola, D. (forthcoming) ‘New Migrations to Poland: Conditions and Mechanisms of Development’, in F.E.I. Hamilton and K. Iglicka, From Homogeneity to Multiculturalism. Minorities Old and New in Polan. London: Macmillan.
Sword, K. (1999) ‘Cross Border “Suitcase Trade” and the Role of Foreigners in Polish Informal Markets’, in K. Iglicka and K. Sword (eds), The Challenge of East—West Migration for Polan, London: Macmillan.
Wallace, C., O. Chmouliar and E. Sidorenko (1996) ‘The Eastern Frontier of Western Europe: Mobility in the Buffer Zone’, New Communit, 22 (2), 259–86.
Wallace, C., O. Chmouliar and V. Bedzir (1999) ‘Investing in Social Capital: the Case of Small-scale Cross Border Traders in Central and Eastern Europe’, International Journal of Urban and Regional Researc, 23 (4), 751–70.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2001 Dariusz Stola
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Stola, D. (2001). Two Kinds of Quasi-Migration in the Middle Zone: Central Europe as a Space for Transit Migration and Mobility for Profit. In: Wallace, C., Stola, D. (eds) Patterns of Migration in Central Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780333985519_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780333985519_4
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-42121-3
Online ISBN: 978-0-333-98551-9
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social & Cultural Studies CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)