Ethnologist Zorin called for migrants with criminal records not to be allowed into Russia

Migration policy should not solve only economic problems

The interests of Russians are more important than the interests of migrants. This statement was made by Vladimir Putin at the Eastern Economic Forum on September 12. The head of state emphasized the inadmissibility of the emergence of ethnic enclaves in the country, which have flooded Western countries in recent years. MK learned from experts how to make it clear to foreigners that Russia is not made of rubber.

Migrants irritate native Russians. This fact has already been recognized at the highest level. The main problem is uncontrolled migration. The President emphasized that if we need foreign labor, then we need to choose only those who are needed by the country’s economy.

Moreover, there is a completely negative scenario that cannot be discounted. If migration is not properly regulated, ethnic enclaves and ghettos will spring up in Russia like mushrooms after rain. The President called such a scenario unacceptable.

“We must keep this in mind and under no circumstances allow such a development of events in our country; this is a very sensitive moment in the Russian state,” Putin emphasized.

Deputy Director for Science of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Commission of the RF OP for the harmonization of interethnic and interreligious relations Vladimir Zorin explained that in the current conditions, migration has turned into a multi-vector phenomenon. If earlier it influenced only the economy, now it also influences the internal situation in the country. Without proper control over the flow of visitors, relations in society suffer.

“Much depends on whether migrants know Russian laws and whether they are ready to comply with them,” Zorin emphasized.

The modern concept of Russian migration policy is still based on solving economic problems. But “on the ground” the situation has changed radically. As the expert says, migrants from the former Soviet republics used to be connected by a common history – they once lived in one big country. Now the younger generation of visitors does not have such a connection with Russians. They know the Russian language and culture worse. And they are not trying to integrate into it, as the practice of the regions shows.

“There is experience from foreign countries where the situation with migrants has gotten out of control,” says Vladimir Zorin. — The biggest risk is enclave settlements in which people settle along ethnic lines. Local authorities do not even interfere in the life of such ghettos.

The expert is confident that Russia must avoid repeating such a scenario.

— The general line of migration policy should be mandatory knowledge of the Russian language for those who come to Russia. As for children, there needs to be clear regulation of the situation in migrant families. We need clubs for such children, where they can learn Russian. We need to start from kindergarten,” Zorin said.

But what’s even worse is that visitors are not always inclined to comply with our laws.

— It is very important that migration policy works for national security. Sometimes people with alien sentiments and openly hostile intentions come to our country. It is unacceptable to allow people with a criminal past into the country,” the expert concluded.

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 29113 dated September 13, 2023

Newspaper headline:
Russia without “Chinatowns”