Europe introduces US-style residence permit
The European Commission has approved a draft introducing a residence permit system similar to the American one. If all EU member states vote for the project, foreigners most valuable to the European Union will be able to obtain the right to permanent residence and work in any EU country.
The project, proposed to the European Commission by Commissioner for Legal Affairs Franco Frattini, stipulates that the number of immigrants who will receive European “green cards” will be limited. Quotas should be set by the national governments of each country separately.
As in the United States, the holders of “green cards” will be the best specialists in those fields where there is a shortage of local workers. These are mainly specialists in computer technology, health care, research, and construction. Already in 2006-2015, Europe will need between 10 and 20 million such workers. However, the project does not cancel the existing rule according to which, all other things being equal, an EU citizen has priority in hiring.
A separate item in the project is the so-called seasonal workers - there is a particular shortage of them. For this category, the commissioner proposes introducing multi-year multiple-entry visas so that workers can return home and, when the next season comes, come back to work again.
This is how it is intended to combat illegal immigration. Currently, up to 500,000 illegal immigrants enter the EU annually. Frattini believes that the reform he proposed will reduce this figure, if only because some illegal immigrants will legally work on EU territory. //Interfax
Lithuanian Seimas adopted a resolution on stopping emigration
The Lithuanian Seimas unanimously adopted a resolution in which the government is proposed, by March 2006, to develop a comprehensive long-term strategy to create conditions for the return of young people who have already left and to stop their ongoing emigration.
“The main reasons for youth emigration are unemployment and unsuccessful integration into the labor market, low wages, and poor living conditions,” the resolution notes. According to the Department of Statistics, in 2002 about 7,000 residents of Lithuania left abroad, in 2003 about 11,000, in 2004 about 15,000.
Estonia granted asylum to none of the Russians
In 2005, Estonia did not satisfy a single request from Russians for political or other asylum. In total, in 2005, 11 citizens of foreign states applied to Estonia for asylum, among them four Russians, three Iraqis, and two Turks. Nine of the eleven were deported to their home countries, one was refused asylum, and the case of one Turkish citizen is still being decided. The last of the Russians was refused at the end of December 2005.
Citing confidentiality of information, a Department representative refused to answer questions about the identity of the applicants, their nationality, and the reasons for applying for asylum in Estonia, only stating that all four Russians were men. It was also noted that not all cases involved political asylum.
Last year, 2,000 people immigrated to Moldova
In 2005, 1,971 immigrants from 76 countries arrived in Moldova. This was reported by the National Bureau of Migration of Moldova (NBM).
The National Bureau of Migration of Moldova established that in 2005 the immigration quota of 2,014 people was used by 97.7%. The NBM clarified that the largest number of immigrants arrived from Turkey - 23.18%, followed by Ukraine - 18.56%, Russia - 7.94%, USA - 5.9%, Romania - 5.31%, Syria - 5.15%. In 2005, 1,038 people entitled to Moldovan citizenship were repatriated. Most of them came from Russia - 689 people (66%) and Ukraine - 214 people (20%). Of the total number of people who received immigrant status in Moldova: 36.27% came for work, 32.24% for study, and 31.49% for family reasons. Over the past year, an increase in the number of mixed marriages was noted. Marriages are most often contracted with citizens of Ukraine (9.55%), Russia (5.26%) and Turkey (3.17%).
The migration bureau noted that the recording and monitoring of data on foreign citizens and the development of policies taking into account Moldova's national interests are carried out using the information system “Migration” operating in the country.
Belgium granted refugee status to 3,000 foreigners
Belgium's immigration authorities granted political refugee status in 2005 to 3,059 applicants, including 1,256 (41%) from Russia, mainly Chechens. This was reported to journalists by the head of the general secretariat for refugees and stateless persons, Dirk Van den Bulck.
According to him, last year a third more people from third countries received political refugee status than in 2004. In total, in 2005, 15,957 applications for asylum were submitted in Belgium (in 2004 – 15,357), of which 9% came from the Russian Federation, 8% each from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Serbia and Montenegro, 6% from Iraq, and 5% from Slovakia.
Moldova allows bringing in unlimited amount of currency
In Chisinau, at a meeting of Moldova's cabinet of ministers, amendments to current legislation were adopted allowing individuals to bring unlimited amounts of currency into the country. This was announced by the press service of the Moldovan government.
The changes approved by the cabinet of ministers also provide for an increase to €10,000 in the amount of currency that can be taken out of the republic without presenting documents on its origin to customs authorities. To export currency exceeding €10,000, it will be necessary to present to customs authorities the relevant decision issued by the National Bank of Moldova or a bank holding its license. The amendments provide that individuals are required to declare currency at customs when importing or exporting an amount exceeding 10,000 euros.
In 2006, Turkey's population will increase by one million people
By the end of 2006, Turkey's population will exceed 73 million people. This was reported by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TSI). According to forecasts by TSI specialists, in the middle of the current year the population of this country will reach 72 million 974 thousand, and the population of its largest city, Istanbul, will reach 11 million 600 thousand people. Compared with the corresponding period of last year, Turkey's population will increase by 909 thousand people.
In mid-2006, Van will also join the list of Turkish cities with a population of over 1 million people, thus the number of "millionaire" cities in Turkey will reach 20. And in Kilis, which has been experiencing a demographic crisis for many years and whose population is steadily declining, this figure is expected to be less than 100 thousand people.
Ankara's population is expected to reach 4 million 386 thousand, and Izmir's 3 million 709 thousand people. According to TSI forecasts, if current growth rates are maintained, Turkey's population will reach 76 million 500 thousand people in 2010.
Turkmenbashi will establish surveillance over foreigners
President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov proposed creating a ministry that would control foreign citizens arriving in the republic and Turkmen who have left the country.
As DW-World writes, the other day Turkmenbashi expressed dissatisfaction with the work of the Ministries of Internal Affairs and National Security. "You must keep a close eye on foreigners and our citizens abroad. We will create an additional agency to enforce the adopted laws," Niyazov said.
According to a source in the president's entourage, the new agency will report directly to the president and control the activities of all other services that in one way or another deal with foreigners in Turkmenistan. It will monitor arriving foreigners, develop routes for their possible movements around the country, depending on the reasons for their visit, and check whether guests deviate from these routes. In case of any violations, they will be detained and deported.
In turn, citizens of Turkmenistan who have left the country but have overstayed their exit visas or committed other violations must return to the republic. According to the source, Turkmenistan is negotiating with other countries so that they do not obstruct the work of Turkmen special services. According to Niyazov, this is done in response to the UN's call to strengthen the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking.
Turkmenbashi also announced that Turkmen consulates abroad will henceforth coordinate the issuance of entry visas with the new agency. Persons who were previously deported and are trying to enter the country with new documents will be refused.
Malta tops the list of happy countries
The happiest people live in Malta, and the most unhappy in Zimbabwe and Ukraine. This is the conclusion of the next annual study by Professor Ruut Veenhoven of the University of the Dutch city of Rotterdam.
He has prepared the already popular worldwide "life satisfaction index", which is based on a survey of various population groups regarding their perception of the surrounding life and their own situation.
The first place in the ranking was taken by the Mediterranean island of Malta, 74% of whose population consider themselves to have a happy life. It is followed by Denmark, Switzerland and Colombia. There, 73% of residents are satisfied with their situation.
The next group of countries includes Iceland, Ireland and the Netherlands. The world's top ten is completed by Canada, Finland and Ghana, where happy people make up 69% of the country's population.
One of Professor Veenhoven's conclusions is that in the modern world money is not a decisive factor for happiness. Thus, the United States ranks 16th in the "happiness list" and is behind Guatemala and Uruguay. The largest European powers, Great Britain and Germany, are in 21st and 22nd place respectively. The list of happy nations is closed by Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Moldova and Ukraine, where no more than 20% of people feel happy.
In the UAE, from February, smoking will be allowed only at home
The complete ban on smoking in public places, which will come into force in the Arab Emirates in mid-February next year, will henceforth also apply to office premises.
As journalists of the local newspaper Khaleej Times have reliably learned, the UAE Ministry of Health is taking increasingly serious measures to make people quit smoking. Last week, a meeting of ministry representatives ended with the adoption of a decision to introduce a general ban on smoking in office premises, which means that from mid-February smokers will be able to smoke only in their private premises.
The ban also covers an increase in the tax on cigarettes, a refusal to sell to persons under 18, and the cessation of all cigarette advertising. An interesting detail has also become known: the UAE Ministry of Health has a special program under which 50 employees of the department quit the harmful habit monthly, apparently under the threat of losing their jobs.
To help smokers more easily endure the transition to a life without nicotine, the Ministry of Health will open seven special support centers in the seven emirates.