UK/ROMANIA: Migrant group says there is no big influx of Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants to UK

Record ID: 348384

  • Title: UK/ROMANIA: Migrant group says there is no big influx of Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants to UK
  • Date: 29th January 2007
  • Summary: (CEEF) LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (RECENT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE IMMIGRATION ADVISORY SERVICE, KEITH BEST, SAYING "This is, I'm afraid, pandering to a certain section of the British public that is xenophobic, that is worried about foreigners. You've got to remember that Britain is an island people, not just geographically, but also in
  • Embargoed: 13th February 2007 12:00
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  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA10PW8XFZXM6U419ZGJA6NBFUR
  • Story Text: Migrant group says there is no big influx of Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants to UK. Britain's Immigrant Advisory Service says there has not been a large of migrant workers from Europe's two newest members, Romania and Bulgaria, since they joined the EU on January 1st.
    In 2006 the British government announced that more than 400,000 east European workers had been allowed to work in Britain since May 2004, sparking fears that the UK would be flooded by further migrants when Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU bloc.
    But chief executive of the Immigration Advisory Service, Keith Best, said that weeks after accession this had not happened, and he didn't expect it would.
    "Having spoken to the Bulgarian deputy foreign minister, having spoken to Mr Orban, the Romanian minister who largely negotiated the accession of Romania to the European Union, both those people have told me that really it is not the tradition of Bulgarians and Romanians to come to north of Europe," Best said.
    "If you look at the migration pattern in the past, then you'll see that mostly, Bulgarians have gone to Greece, Romanians have tended to go to the southern Mediterranean countries like Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece. There was a survey done earlier last year amongst Bulgarians showing that only
    9 percent of them actually were thinking even of going abroad to work," he added.
    There had been a flurry of negative headlines in the British media, as the accession date drew closer. Best said this may have given the impression that Romanians and Bulgarians were not welcome in the UK.
    "I do not believe that to be the case. I think the government has a vested political interest in demonstrating to the British people that they are not just going to have a completely open door policy, that they are not going to let just anybody in. And people are worried about that. But if people are prepared, if they know where people have come from, then Britons can be some of the most hospitable people in the world. And I hope all our friends in Bulgaria and Romania who come to the UK, will find that to be the case," he said.
    The British government responded to public fears by putting strict work restrictions in place. Migrant workers are restricted to working in seasonal agricultural jobs and other low-skilled positions. The Home Office also launched a campaign in Bulgaria and Romania, warning people thinking of migrating of the restrictions that had been set.
    "This is, I'm afraid, pandering to a certain section of the British public that is xenophobic, that is worried about foreigners," Best said.
    "You've got to remember that Britain is an island people, not just geographically, but also in its mentality. Which is strange in a way, because we couldn't survive, our economy would not continue with its vibrancy if we didn't rely on migrant labour. And we desperately need migrant labour. Employers cannot fill vacancies without having to actually get people coming in from abroad," he added.
    But despite the restrictions, some Romanians have decided to take the plunge to launch a new life in the UK.
    Many seem resigned to the negative publicity they have received.
    "I think that we Romanians are a slightly unlucky people, everybody sees us badly. But this is not correct, they are not better then we are," said Rodica Dragomir.
    "I think that this will change in few months and they (the British government) will let Romanians work there. I don't see Romanians as they describe us in their newspapers, only with bad words. I hope this opinion will change in time," added Valentin Nani, before departing from Romania's international airport and heading to the UK.
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