THE COVID-19 MOBILITY IMPACTS ON THE MIGRATION FLOW IN SOUTH-EAST EUROPE: THE SITUATION IN 2021 AND BEFORE 1989

In this paper, we analyze the current travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic imposed by the countries from South-East Europe and briefly compare them with those imposed by the Central European countries. By using official data collection of displacement tracking matrices and analyzing the porosity of the borders in this part of Europe, we research the impact of COVID-19 on human mobility and the related economic and social aspects. Discussions are presented regarding this impact on the travelers, the seasonal workers from some of the selected countries, and the immigrants from the Middle-East. A formal analysis is performed relating the current travel restrictions and the travel ban during the iron curtain.

EUROPE'S HIGHEST COVID-19 MORTALITY EXPERIENCED BEHIND THE FORMER IRON CURTAIN

While 11 out of the 15 first European countries with highest COVID-19 mortality rates are Post-Socialist countries (73%), and only 9 out of the 31 countries on place 16-46 (29%) are Post-Socialist. All of the top 17 European countries with the highest cumulative excess-mortality since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic era, are Post- Socialist countries (100%) as well as 19 out of the top 20 (95%). The dividing line between high and low COVID-19 mortality of European countries follows exactly the path of the former Iron Curtain. In addition, out of the 43 data reporting European countries, all the 18 with the lowest vaccination rate (100%) are Post-Socialist. The main cause of these differences in European COVID-19 mortality may be the traditionally disadvantageous physical and mental condition of the population of Post-Socialist countries, but this problem needs further, more intense investigations. © 2021 Literatura Medica Publishing House. All rights reserved.