The ‘new normal’ in migration management in Serbia in times of the COVID-19 crisis

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had severe consequences for the large-scale movement of populations within and across borders. Moreover, the crisis has had serious impacts on origin, transit and destination countries, as well as on migrant workers and their families. This paper aims to enhance the understanding of migration contexts in times of crises, as well as migrant-specific vulnerabilities, including the characteristics of stranded migrants in Serbia. Two phenomena have interacted to influence the shape and intensity of mobility in the country during the pandemic: that of citizens returning from abroad in the wake of the economic downturn and changing labour markets, and that of irregular migrants and asylum seekers stranded in transit along the Western Balkan Migration Route. An emphasis is placed on the challenges faced by migrants, as well as those faced by the country itself in terms of migration governance and management in times of crisis, questioning the existence of barriers to access to support. Despite the fact that these different groups of migrants will experience crises differently, it is important to explore the capacity of the country to assist them, both while in their country of origin and while in transit.