FORCED MIGRATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE REFUGEE CRISIS IN EU IN 2015: THE DIVISION EAST-WEST IN THE UNION

Metodiev Kalojan (Dr Kalojan Metodiev, politikolog, redovni profesor, Jugozapadni univerzitet „Neofit Rilski“, Blagoevgrad; vanredni profesor Sofija univerzitet „Sv.Kliment Ohridski“), metodiev@obshtestvo.net

The refugee crisis erupted in the European Union in the summer of 2015. The problem divided the EU member states into two main groups – West (Old Member States) and East (New Member States). They had different opinions about the migration flows. The governments of the Old Members (led by Germany and France) saw the flow as a forced migration process and people who arrive through Greece islands as refugees escaping the war. The Visegrad group saw it as an illegal immigration problem. Some of their leaders blame Turkey for organizing and directing migrants toward Europe.

Keywords: EU, East-West, migrant crisis, East Europe, West Europe, A. Merkel, V. Orban