Yulia Borshchevska

Centre of Sociological Research

Konovalca str. 10/49

Ternopil,46020

Ukraine

Tel.: +380352 423758

E-mail: yborshchevska@gmail.com

PERCEPTION PRISM OF STATE AUTHORITIES AND NGOS ON MIGRATION IN UKRAINE

ABSTRACT. This paper does not pursue the goal of providing a profound analysis of the migration situation in Ukraine but rather presents the views of two sets of actors on the issue: Ukrainian migration authorities and leading NGOs. This paper provides a valuable insight in that the opinions of both of these groups of actors are combined
in a single work. This is a perspective that is not frequently examined, partly due to the difficulty of accessing state authorities in Ukraine.

Using a qualitative interviewing method, this article highlights migration aspirations in Ukraine in the scope and to the extent that they have been perceived as relevant by Ukrainian state authorities and NGO leaders. To provide context to this issue, new developments in the state migration policy are detailed here. Additionally, perceived policy implications on migration tendencies as well as some migration outcomes are given particular attention.

This article also explores how media discourse on migration in the country is articulated by the considered actors and more importantly, whether any change in the discourse is evident for the time being, what this change is about and what are respective explanations.

Received: July, 2012

1st Revision: September, 2012

Accepted: October, 2012

JEL Classification: R23, P25

Keywords: labour migration, migration discourse, Ukraine, EU, Russia