Patriarch Kirill called mistakes in migration policy sad for Russia

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ said that an erroneous migration policy could lead “to the most tragic consequences” in Russia. Work with flows of labor migrants, he said, needs adjustment at the government level.

“The value of profit cannot be higher than the values ​​of a state that is ready to defend the interests of the state-forming people,” the patriarch said during his speech at the World Russian People’s Council. The meeting was broadcast by a TV channel “Saved”.

The massive influx of labor migrants who are “unable and unwilling to integrate” into Russian society is changing the appearance of cities and the “legal, cultural, linguistic space” of the country, Patriarch Kirill added. “Closed ethnic enclaves,” according to him, become the cause of the development of corruption and crime.

Having Russian citizenship, as the patriarch said, does not exempt one from the need to respect the people and traditions of the country. He suggested that it would be difficult for the economy to cope without migrant workers, but this “does not mean that migration flows should not be regulated and limited.” Patriarch Kirill clarified that he is “not against those people who want to work honestly” in Russia.

On November 9, the head of the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia, Albir Krganov, said that the country’s Muslim community is concerned about the threat of migrant phobia. The escalation of this topic, he said, could spread to Muslims who have Russian citizenship.

More details in the text “Kommersant” “Interethnic relations seemed biased”.