ODESA, SEPTEMBER 13th, 2011, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE — A representative of the Odesa National Mechnikov University Centre for International Research Denis Kuzmin says expectations that Ukraine may turn to a ‘precipitation tank’ for illegal migrants at the EU border do not prove to be correct so far, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

Mr Kuzmin stated today, 13 September, during a round table meeting Migration Potential of the South of Ukraine and the Visa Practice of the Schengen EU Countries.

“Ukraine today is not only a supplier of migrants, but also takes a fairly large number of immigrants from third countries. And many of them use Ukraine as a transit country for the prospects of moving into the European Union. This is a big problem. Since it is impossible to monitor the extent to which legal or illegal migrants arrive in Ukraine. But our experience has shown that the expectation that Ukraine will become a sump for illegal migrants on the border with the EU, has not yet proved to be true. The data so far do not say this”, said the researcher.

“According to statistics data, in 2010 there were issued 12.5 million Schengen visas across the world, including Ukraine — 1.2 million, or about 9%. Compared to 2009, in 2010 Ukraine 100 thousand more Schengen visas. Ukraine ranks second in the world as to the amount of Schengen visas. The first is Russia, the third is China. The average failure rate is 3—5%, which is not a critical indicator in accordance with EU legislation”, he added.