Demographic crisis, which has affected the Balkan region and especially Albania with population decline and high emigration of youth, besides negatively impacting job markets and the quality of democracy, may also cause general instability, highlighted a recent analysis by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) regarding security issues in the region.<\/p>\n
According to the Balkans Barometer in 2023, economic conditions and unemployment are the main concerns for citizens of the region, with 47% and 32% of respondents identifying these as the primary issues.<\/p>\n
But in Albania and North Macedonia, brain drain has emerged as one of the most critical issues, with 41% and 27% of respondents respectively highlighting it as a critical problem, with an increase from the previous year.<\/p>\n
RCC experts point out that this trend, especially in Albania, may be related to new waves of migration and increased asylum demands in the EU and the United Kingdom. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, 29% of respondents identify brain drain as the third most urgent issue, showing an eight-point increase from 2022.<\/p>\n
The Regional Cooperation Council, coordinating the Berlin Process, highlights that population aging contributes to a demographic challenge, negatively impacting job markets, economic productivity, and social welfare systems.<\/p>\n
The departure of young people, especially those with skills, increases inequalities in income, employment, and infrastructure development and may cause potential social tensions.<\/p>\n
Continuous brain drain and labor migration from the region represent urgent issues to be addressed, as they may negatively impact economic stability and subsequently disrupt security throughout the region.<\/p>\n
The emigration of qualified workers and young talents may continue if economic opportunities and prospects for growth and development remain limited, as noted by the RCC.<\/p>\n
Security experts in the region emphasize that unaddressed economic challenges will have a devastating impact on social structure. Economic difficulties may strain social cohesion, worsen inequality, and fuel dissatisfaction, potentially leading to social unrest and political instability.<\/p>\n
Population decline and youth emigration are likely to prompt businesses to seek workforce replacement, further complicating internal tensions, security experts analyze.<\/p>\n
They call for addressing economic challenges to make the region safer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Demographic crisis, which has affected the Balkan region and especially Albania with population decline and high emigration of youth, besides negatively impacting job markets and the quality of democracy, may also cause general instability, highlighted a recent analysis by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) regarding security issues in the region. According to the Balkans Barometer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":64698,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[250],"tags":[270,3521,243,151,667,3545,6242,326],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n