Barbarians at the gate? Open the gate now!

What’s up with the old-EU “temporary” ban on workers from the new EU countries? Up to now, only UK, Ireland and Sweden have opened their borders to immigrants from Eastern Europe. Romania and Bulgaria, the to-be latest newcomers in EU will face a worse situation: UK, the big melting pot of Europe, is not willing to waive the immigration ban this time.

Why? According to The Economist, more than half a million (mostly Poles) have moved in the past years in UK only, providing cheap labor, but also causing an unavoidable short-term absorption crisis for the state. UK wants to stay aside at the next round.

So, how about Greece? What is our national policy on the issue and how can Greece exploit the situation?Surprise-surprise, Greece just follows the rest of the “Euro-rigids” and has a ban on immigration from the new EU members. However, with the entry of Romania and Bulgaria we have a unique opportunity.Let’s do a cost-benefit analysis of opening our borders to our two Balkan neighbors.
The cost will be a short-term absorption challenge:
-A potential temporary spike in the unemployment. Immigrants will compete mostly for the lower paid jobs, but it is true that the sudden influx of labor can increase unemployment in the short-term
-An additional pressure to our welfare state system that will need to serve more citizens. (However this can actually be an opportunity to starve and eliminate the “beast” of the welfare state)

Now, on the benefits side:
-More and cheaper labor means higher growth, short-term and long-term
Most importantly, there are two major benefits of strategic importance:
-Fresh and young labor that will finance the time-bomb of our public pension funds (current ratio is the unsustainable 2 workers-contributors for each retiree-receiver!!!)
-Diversification of our domestic immigrants’ base. Currently the bulk of our immigrants either comes from either Albania or Middle East (Iraqis, Kurds). The existence of a sole big Albanian constituent makes cultural assimilation more difficult and long-term can pose several problems. In other words, for absorption reasons we better have a more fragmented immigration pool.

So, how about that: We waive our option to impose restrictions on the newcomers Romania and Bulgaria. Few hundred thousands immigrants from these countries will join our country. This will enhance our status as the America of the Balkans, rejuvenate our economy and society, add a much needed diversity and, judging from the past, in one or two generations they will be culturally assimilated and consider themselves Greeks.

Perfect!