September 23 (SeeNews) - Six countries in Southeast Europe (SEE) were among the world's top ten countries least-accepting of migrants in 2019, a Gallup poll showed on Wednesday, as the European Union (EU) prepares to unveil a new migrant asylum plan.
North Macedonia was the country with the lowest migrant acceptance score; Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro occupied third to sixth place, respectively, while Turkey ranked tenth, Gallup said in the latest update of its Migrant Acceptance Index.
On the other hand, Moldova saw the biggest increase in its migrant acceptance score since 2016, which may be related to the influx of Turkish, Azerbaijani and Uzbekistani migrant workers into the country.
"Most of these workers were enrolled in foreign companies that brought in EU funds for different development projects," the global analytics and advice firm said.
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey are the only SEE countries that are new to the list of top ten least-accepting countries, compared to the 2016 edition of the index, Gallup said.
"Turkey's appearance likely reflects the burden the country took on with the 2016 deal with the EU to keep refugees in its territory. The country currently hosts an estimated 4 million refugees and migrants, and the 2016 deal has since collapsed," Gallup noted.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is among the countries with the largest decline of the acceptance index, which went down to 1.85 points in 2019 from 2.71 points in 2016, Gallup added.
The index is based on three questions that Gallup asked in 140 countries in 2016 and 2017 and updated again in 145 countries in 2019. People are asked whether they think migrants living in their country, becoming their neighbors and marrying into their families are good things or bad things.