The situation on the labor market in the countries of the Western Balkans is bad - the population of Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina is aging.
The other big problem for these countries is migration - many of the able-bodied young people emigrate and prefer to build a career in EU countries - for example, in Germany, Austria or Italy. This creates a serious shortage of qualified labor in the Western Balkans, writes the German "Tageszeitung" (TAC).
By 2050, Serbia is expected to lose over 40 percent of its citizens of working age. The situation is similar in neighboring Bulgaria, where, according to UN data, the country will shrink by 23% by 2050. The forecasts are similar for the other countries in the region.
Digitalization, on the other hand, creates obstacles for groups of society that are discriminated against in terms of education, for example, to acquire the necessary qualifications to become an active part of the labor market in the future.
Roma can solve the problem of the labor market
One such large group that can become a solution for the countries in the Balkans is the Roma, writes TAC. The youngest and most dynamic ethnic group in the region, the Roma are adaptable and enterprising, adds the German media. Investment by the countries in the economic rise of the Roma community can adequately address the problems of the labor market. About 10-12 million Roma live in Europe, about six of them - in the territory of the EU. By 2035, 14 to 29 percent of the working population in Serbia is expected to be of Roma origin. However, all this is hindered by the fact that the countries of the Western Balkans do not do enough to support the training of young people, which is necessary for adequate entry into the labor market.
The situation for the Roma is complicated - many of them belong to the group of young people who are neither in an educational institution, nor in any kind of vocational training, nor do they have a permanent job. Prejudice and discrimination are the main obstacles facing the Roma community in these countries, TAC also writes.
If the Roma are effectively integrated into the labor market in Serbia, this could bring the country an additional 1.28 billion euros per year. At the same time, the country's social spending will fall by about 78.1%, TAC claims.
Investing in Roma is a good economic strategy
If Roma continue to be excluded from the labor market, the economies of countries where large numbers of them live will not be able to develop sustainably, the German newspaper explains. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is already warning of impending stagnation if more Roma, women and the elderly do not start working.
Investing in the development of Roma communities in this sense is not just a moral imperative, but also a good economic strategy, TAC notes. For example, training programs for young people from the Roma community could be developed to introduce them to the tourism sector, the service sector, construction and sales.
The situation is similar in Bulgaria, where Roma represent about 5% of the population. A large part of them work in Western Europe, where their economic situation is far better than in the country, notes Ognyan Isaev from the "Trust for Social Alternative" foundation in an interview with BNR. "Over the past fifteen years, the message has been that the Roma are a huge untapped economic potential," he adds.
The Roma want to work, but they need to be helped
The former European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli insisted during her mandate to work on national strategies to combat anti-Gypsyism and racism towards the Roma, as well as segregation, TAC recalls. In many places, public approval of strategies to effectively bring the Roma into the labor market is growing. Moreover, for the Roma themselves, securing permanent employment is a key priority in life - contrary to the stereotype that they do not want to work.
However, for such strategies to be effective, they must work with organizations that already have Roma representation or those focused on the integration of Roma into the labor market, the German media suggests.