The HRC proposed to limit the resettlement program for compatriots

Kirill Kabanov, a member of the Human Rights Council under the President of Russia (HRC), believes that the issuance of Russian citizenship under the resettlement program for compatriots should be temporarily limited. In his opinion, “corrupt businessmen from the migration services, together with ethnic organized crime groups and oligarchs,” made the program a “feeding trough” with billions of dollars in turnover. At the same time, along with the annexation of new territories, Russia received about 5 million new citizens who “more than others need huge, first of all, financial support, economic recovery, and social adaptation.”

“As a result, our brethren, bearers of a common language and culture, and, what is most outrageous, residents of new territories often go through many months, and some even many years of bureaucratic “hellish circles” in order to obtain their proper and native Russian citizenship,” Kirill Kabanov wrote. in his Telegram channel.

According to him, at the same time, “a resident of a village on the Pyanj River with the support of his diaspora and money” can quickly obtain Russian citizenship without knowledge of the Russian language, culture and history. Mr. Kabanov added that “neither he nor those like him contribute practically anything to our common social treasury”, evade paying taxes, and also transfer money earned in Russia to their homeland.

Kirill Kabanov proposed to temporarily allow the acquisition of Russian citizenship under the compatriots resettlement program only for citizens of Belarus, persons with historical family ties with Russia or with outstanding professional and unique competencies, as well as representatives of indigenous peoples historically living in Russia. He added that participation in the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine should also remain the basis for obtaining citizenship under a simplified procedure.

In August 2022, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia suggested introduce a mandatory test of knowledge of the Russian language for citizens of the CIS who acquire citizenship under the program for the resettlement of compatriots. It was proposed to exempt citizens of Belarus, DPR, LPR, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and stateless persons permanently residing in these countries from the check. Also at the end of the year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs developed a project of the law, which is aimed at excluding the possibility for foreigners to obtain migration status through fictitious marriages or establishing paternity.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, from January to November 2022, 15 million people were registered for migration in Russia. In 2021, over the same period, 11 million registered migrants were reported. At the same time, the number of foreigners who received Russian citizenship has decreased. From January to November last year, 638,000 decisions were issued on the admission of foreigners to the citizenship of the Russian Federation, which is 30,000 less than in 11 months of 2021.

Olesya Pavlenko