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For Panevėžys, which is the fastest reduction in terms of population, last year official statistics illuminated the hope of emerging from the demographic well: the flow of migrants was decreasing and the number of returnees was growing. However, today it is feared that the coronavir crisis and the increase in unemployment will fundamentally change the situation again.
Although the Lithuanian authorities invited compatriots scattered around the world to return to their homeland, flew and sailed them on specially ordered trips, not everyone here felt welcome and carried their bags again.
Linas Kaukėnas, formerly known in the business and political world of Panevėžys, who was named Lithuanian honorary donor for donated blood, has been living in England for six years, working as a long-distance driver and electrician. The pandemic, like many others, deprived him of his livelihood. L. Kaukėnas tells the hairdressers the idea of returning to Panevėžys and hanging out here. And the Lithuanian government also showed concern for migrants: it invited them to their homeland in every way.
“After losing my job, I decided that I needed to go to Lithuania. The government boasted of booking special trips for migrants so that only they could return, as if the borders of other states were already closed. Scared, I bought a ticket that cost almost ten times more than usual. I paid 275 euros to be able to return to Lithuania, when I can find one-way tickets for fifteen euros, ”said a Panevėžys resident.
No benefits received
L. Kaukėnas admits that excessive illusions remain in Lithuania. He had tried to find a job in his own country before, but still stayed in England. This time, as soon as he arrived, he registered with the Employment Service. Here they promised him a profit of € 200. But Linas says he has received no job offers or benefits during the two months he spent in Lithuania. So he loaded his belongings, got on the bus, and left for England again: long-distance drivers are free to cross borders, even during quarantine.
“I really didn’t understand why they didn’t give me an assignment, but I didn’t go deeper, I turned around and left again. Also in England, some companies can’t work. I have two professions, I’m a long distance driver and an electrician, so it is not difficult for me to find a job, at least behind the wheel, during the quarantine ”, L. Kaukėnas mentioned his reasons for leaving.
Unrecovered salary
According to L. Kaukėnas, England cares much more about its people than Lithuania: it guarantees at least a minimum life for everyone. Even an unemployed person can receive a benefit of around £ 300 per month. And if a person loses his job during quarantine, he gets about 80 percent. old salary According to L. Kaukėnas, just before the pandemic, the economy in England rebounded. However, after quarantine, many companies were no longer able to pay their wages to their employees. In a frequent company, wages were delayed, in some places, by two weeks. However, according to the migrant, his personal experience with Lithuanian employers is even bitter.
“I have been living in England for six years, although there were such sections when I tried to return to Lithuania. I worked as a long distance driver and traveled throughout Europe. The Lithuanian company paid the minimum, and the daily allowance was still delayed, so far not I have received 644 euros. The company went bankrupt and I no longer expect to recover the money, “the emigrant shared his painful experience.
Appreciated until the business was successful
According to L. Kaukėnas, a long distance driver in England can earn 2,500 to 4,000 or a little more pounds a month. However, emigration is driven by more money paid out. Before leaving, Kaukėnas had his own business in the capital of Aukštaitija, and he even ran for City Hall, but the economic downturn forced him to squeeze the brakes.
“I had my own company, it was fine until one day everything changed. When a person can earn a living, everything is excellent, but when a company goes bankrupt due to a crisis or other circumstances, nobody cares, as if it were rubbish, ”thinks L. Kaukėnas.
He is convinced that so far the attitude in Lithuania has changed little: every time he returns to government institutions, he solves the affairs of the company that is still registered in Panevėžys and faces a lazy attitude towards the person.
“When I return to Lithuania on vacation and I have to deal with some bureaucratic matters, I do everything in the last days. I am afraid to go because I know I will ruin my spirits,” says the Panevėžys migrant.
See the peak
According to L. Kaukėnas, the only downside to emigration is that a wife and daughter remained in Panevėžys, and the eldest son has been living in England for some time, like his father. The family has been making plans for everyone to move to misty England.
“We have been planning this for a long time, but this pandemic has delayed plans until now,” says Linas.
Her son also repeatedly tried to return and settle in Lithuania, but the Employment Service had nothing to offer him. The Lithuanian government loudly declares that it is waiting for returning migrants, the media writes how returning Lithuanians create successful businesses in their country, but such success stories, in L. Kaukėnas’ opinion, are rare.
“The government screams very loudly while waiting for the returning migrants, but it really shows the spy. Those who wish to return and live in their country leave at the will of fate. Even now, when people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic , even the minimum benefits cannot be granted, and pensioners whose incomes have not been affected by the virus will receive 200 euros each, ”the emigrant was outraged.
The compatriots are safe
L. Kaukėnas admits that there are challenges in the host country, too, and that the migrants themselves are not united or friendly. According to the interlocutor, sometimes it is better to pretend not to be Lithuanian in England, because compatriots tend to deceive each other and, sometimes, Lithuanian jealousy sets foot. According to Panevėžys, if a Lithuanian finds out that a compatriot earns more, he will not bother taking his place and it doesn’t matter in what way. According to Linas, it really hurts, because what kind of Romanians or Hungarians, if only bad for one of their compatriots, will rush to the rescue, and the opposite is true for Lithuanians, even one who falls apart. L. Kaukėnas speaks excellent English and especially English among his friends.
“You feel lonely in a foreign country, but it also depends on how well you speak English. This is not an obstacle for me. Emigration is better for me. I don’t know if those € 200 allowances would have stopped me, but he showed the attitude of the state. I left with regret, “says the emigrant.
Home attraction
The number of emigrants who returned to Panevėžys only this year is still counted. Loreta Kaškelienė, a communication specialist in the municipality of Panevėžys, says that there has recently been a real increase in interest in the possibility of returning to live in the capital of Aukštaitija.
“The longing for the homeland and loved ones win. Whatever is good elsewhere, the best at home. Migrants who plan to return are more interested in finding a job, the conditions for setting up a small business and, of course, educational issues. Don’t go to Lithuania blindly. Migrants think about job opportunities, a source of livelihood for at least a few months, they take care of the necessary documents so that they do not have to be handled remotely afterwards, “said L. Kaškelienė.
He noted that parents often fear that when children return they may be integrated into the Lithuanian education system. The representative of the municipality ensures that the principals of the Panevėžys schools are well aware of the integration program for children returning from abroad, and there is a mobile leveling group at the Vytautas Žemkalnis gym for children who do not speak Lithuanian at all.
Those who have returned to Panevėžys are happy with the renewed infrastructure of the city, the beautiful public spaces of the city, the absence of congestion and the compactness of the city. People appreciate and understand that Panevėžys has ideal conditions for family life, business creation, and parenting, “says L. Kaškelienė.
With Panevėžys from afar
To assist returning migrants, the Municipality of the City of Panevėžys is implementing the Global Panevėžys project. In this way, an attempt is made to bring together the community of Panevėžys scattered throughout the world.
“The world is going global, not all Panevėžys residents need to be here. You can also participate in the life of your city from anywhere in the world. Today, it is important not only to stop emigration, but also to stay in contact with the people of Panevėžys who live abroad, ”said the municipal specialist.
According to her, the gatherings of the global residents of Panevėžys, which have already become traditional, during the city’s birthday and Christmas period show that the Panevėžys diaspora is not indifferent to its city, active, interested in innovations, involved in city life even from afar.
“Most of those who have left do not really break ties with their homeland, and even if they come up with the idea of returning to Lithuania, they generally choose the city from which they left,” notes L. Kaškelienė.
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