PEOPLE ON THE MOVE: (STILL) STUCK IN THE CORRIDORS TO THE EU

Migration is no longer on top of the agenda of political and public discourse in Europe. Ever since the numbers of those who manage to reach the EU in search for protection has dropped, the interest for migration and the fate of people on the move has decreased, too. However, the reasons which force people to flee persist, or even further escalate, such as in Afghanistan. The numbers of asylum seekers in Europe remain low because many remain stuck in the corridors to the EU. A policy of border control, that structurally breaks international and EU law and even puts people’s lives in danger is one reason, cooperation with third states such as Turkey is another, why the EU’s external borders have turned into dead ends for those who those who try to cross them. This conference aims to shed a light on these people’s current situation and their potential perspectives.

HBS offices Sarajevo and Thessaloniki will bring together experts, grassroots activists, academia, practitioner and policy-maker from the region, the so called Balkan route as well as from the EU level, to have an in-depth look at the current status-quo of migration policies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Balkans and the EU. A newly compiled paper on Bosnia and Herzegovina will be presented and discussed.

Over two days we will cover different aspects and challenges such as:

• shrinking space/criminalization of people on the move and those showing solidarity with them,
• media coverage of migration, mainstream narratives and hate speech,
• “border management, the securitization of borders,
• Pushbacks and deportations,
• Asylum politics and alternative perspectives to stay.

The event will take place via Zoom. Preregistration is required.

Agenda

DAY 1 - Local and Regional Challenges in the Balkans

9:00 - Welcoming remarks

9:30 - 11:30 - HORIZONS: Overview  on the situation in BiH and the wider region

30 min break

12:00 - 14:00 - “SHRINKING SPACES”

Lunch break - 90 min

15:30 - 17:00 - MEDIA and MIGRATION along the Balkan route

end of day 1

19:00 - 21:00 - NETWORKING: Movies and discussions @ Meeting Point Cinema, Sarajevo

DAY 2 - The Balkans, the European Union and Beyond

9:00 - 11:00 - Human Rights at the EU’s external borders

30 min break

11:30 - 13:30 - EU policies in response to the war in Ukraine

Lunch break - 90 min

15:00 - 17:00 - Perspective to stay - ways forward

end