Prieglobsčio prašančių asmenų perkėlimas į Lietuvą: migrantų patirtys, ekspertų vertinimai, Lietuvos gyventojų nuostatos

LTPastaraisiais metais dėl politinių, religinių, karinių konfliktų Artimuosiuose Rytuose ir ypač suaktyvėjusių karo veiksmų Sirijoje prieglobsčio prašytojų srautai į ES nepaprastai išaugo. „Eurostat“ duomenimis, vien 2015 m. ES šalyse buvo pateikta 1 255 600 prieglobsčio prašymų. Didžiausias spaudimas tenka kelioms ES šalims: dauguma prieglobsčio prašytojų į ES atvyksta per Italiją ir Graikiją, o jų tikslas yra pasiekti Vokietiją ar Švediją. Tapo aišku, kad kelios ES šalys negali priimti tokio didelio skaičiaus prieglobsčio prašytojų ir vienos spręsti vadinamosios migrantų krizės. Buvo nutarta ieškoti bendrų sprendimų bei solidarizuotis su didžiulį migracinį spaudimą patiriančiomis ES valstybėmis narėmis. Todėl 2015 m. ES šalys narės priėmė sprendimą dėl naštos mažinimo ir prieglobsčio prašytojų perkėlimo ES viduje iš Italijos ir Graikijos, o 2015 m. – dėl prieglobsčio pra šytojų perkėlimo iš Turkijos. Solidarizuodamasi su didžiulį migracinį spaudimą patiriančiomis ES valstybėmis narėmis, 2015 m. gegužės 22 d. Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybė priėmė nutarimą dėl 1105 užsieniečių, kuriems reikalinga tarptautinė apsauga, perkėlimo į Lietuvą: numatyta iki 2017 m. gruodžio 31 d. perkelti 70 prieglobsčio prašytojų (Sirijos piliečių) iš Turkijos ir 1035 iš Graikijos ir Italijos.Tai visai naujas iššūkis Lietuvai, tad praėjus daugiau nei metams nuo sprendimo priėmimo, procesas tik įsibėgėja (iki 2016 m. lapkričio mėn. perkelta 185 prieglobsčio prašytojai arba 16 proc. numatytos kvotos), o perkeltieji prieglobsčio prašytojai susiduria su iššūkiais, dėl kurių integracija tampa sunkiai įmanoma. Siekiant įvykdyti prisiimtus įsipareigojimus, artimiausioje ateityje į Lietuvą perkeliamų asmenų skaičius turėtų gerokai išaugti, o neįvardijus ir nesprendžiant šiandien stebimų problemų, strigs integracijos procesas ir didės įtampa visuomenėje. Problemų įvardijimas ir galimų sprendimų paieška – šios studijos tikslas. [Iš Pratarmės]

ENGovernment of the Republic of Lithuania, acting in solidarity with the EU Member States facing growing migratory pressure, on 22 May 2015 adopted Resolution regarding relocation and resettlement of 1105 persons in need of international protection to Lithuania. It provides for the resettlement of 70 asylum applicants (Syrian citizens) from Turkey and relocation of 1,035 asylum applicants from Greece and Italy by 31 December 2017. This is a completely new challenge for Lithuania, thus after more than a year following the adoption of the decision the process is only gaining momentum (until November 2016, 185 asylum applicants have arrived, which makes up to 16 percent of the quota), although the relocated and resettled persons are facing the challenges which make their integration hardly possible. In order to comply with the adopted commitments, the number of the persons resettled and relocated to Lithuania should significantly increase in the near future. Without identifying and addressing the issues observed today, the integration process will be hampered and tension in society will rise. The study pursues to identify such issues and to find possible solutions. This study, which has been conducted within the framework of the annual programme for the European Migration Network (EMN), seeks to look at the issues of relocation and resettlement comprehensively, from several perspectives. The study consists of three interrelated parts (research methodology is presented in the annexes): Experiences of the relocated and resettled persons – qualitative research / in-depth interviews with the persons relocated from Greece (15) and persons resettled from Turkey (3); Survey of the experts directly working in the area of the relocation and resettlement and inte gration of refugees.Representative public opinion poll of the Lithuanian population attitudes towards the resettled and relocated persons, emerging public fears and integration prospects. Dynamics of public opinion were also taken into account. The data of the study has been compared with the results of the studies conducted by the Sprinter Research during 16-26 October 2015 as commissioned by the news portal DELFI and during 17-28 February 2016 as commissioned by the Lithuanian Social Research Centre. We hope that such a comprehensive analysis of the processes of relocation and resettlement of asylum applicants will allow the objective assessment of emerging challenges; the observations of this study will be useful for those directly working with people who have received international protection; serve as a tool for policy-makers, showing what and how to improve in order to ensure the smooth arrival and integration; to decrease the fear and distrust of the Lithuanian population towards resettled and relocated persons. Results of the study: 1. Although the prevailing opinion among the Lithuanian population is that the refugees admitted to Lithuania are economic migrants, the absolute majority of relocated and resettled persons are refugees of war who left their homeland because of the real threat to their own and their families’ life. 2. The majority of resettled and relocated persons arrive to Lithuania involuntarily, because of no possibilities of entering wealthier EU Member States or Canada. They trusted the staff in the refugee camps claiming that Lithuania, as an EU country, is exactly as good a choice as Germany (‘the EU ensures uniform standards’, ‘medical services in Lithuania are provided at the same level as in America’). 3. The resettled and relocated persons arriving in Lithuania experience a cultural and psychological shock due to: (1) First welcome.Even though the relocation and resettlement of these people is commitment of Lithuania, entry procedures applicable in Lithuania, such as taking of fingerprints, limited and reserved communication, have made a negative first impression among the refugees; (2) Surroundings. Shabby buildings in roadside villages and the presence of a military unit in Rukla’s neighbourhood are the first true manifestations of reality showing that the country in which they have arrived is actually not the same as Germany; (3) Communication with the local population. Local residents in Greece and Turkey, despite living in difficult conditions, are culturally closer, and refugees have managed to establish a more genuine contact with them. In Lithuania, they feel stigmatised, local residents estrange them, and conflict situations emerge; (4) Clarification of the actual economic situation in the country. Almost all participants of the study point out the fact that Lithuanians themselves are leaving the country, hence for the newly arrived refugees there are no prospects at all; (5) Language barrier. Communication with the staff of the Refugee reception centre and the local population is hampered by the language barrier and the lack of interpreters; (6) Financial poverty. The amount of 2 euros allocated per person per day does not ensure even the very modest standards of living. 4. In the current situation, the vast majority of resettled and relocated persons do not see any prospects of staying in the country and do not link their future with Lithuania. The refugees fear the stage when they will have to leave their temporary accommodation in Rukla and have to look for housing on their own. A large part of the resettled and relocated persons have decided to leave the country as soon as possible and, in the absence of possibilities of reaching the West, to return to Greece or Turkey. [...]. [From the publication]