A few characteristics of the population relocated from Bratislava to Upper Rye Island (Žitný ostrov), Rajka and its vicinity

The relocated interviewees from Bratislava to Upper Rye Island and to Rajka and its vicinity are typical representatives of desurbanization; in the sense that they traded their urban home for better living conditions and a calmer, less stimulating environment. In their new home, almost all have made their dreams come true: they have their own home, in most cases their own house, which they consider their home in the emotional sense of the word. At the same time, it is also typical that their workplace is located in the capital, where they commute daily or at least several times per week. What is less typical, however, is the fact that many of them report the property close to their work as their permanent address, their actual home being listed as their temporary living place. In other regions in Slovakia the reverse is mostly true. If we were to stick to the strict definition of migrants, which labels persons who permanently settle in a different location, then we could not consider part of the interviewees as migrants, only commuters.

It is a fact that thanks to the migrant entrepreneurs there could be more money flowing to the settlements accounts, yet those with a permanent address in Bratislava are still paying their taxes to the city, instead of their actual living location. The missing funds could be used to improve the local infrastructure and transportation, which would affect the migrants living conditions positively.

Zsuzsanna Lampl      314.727(437.6)

A few characteristics of the population relocated from Bratislava          316:303

to Upper Rye Island (Žitný ostrov), Rajka and its vicinity.

Keywords: Migration. Suburbanization, desurbanization. The structure of migrants.