State Duma fights against illegal migrants

By Vestnik Kavkaza

LDPR presented a draft document in support of non-profit organizations that help the authorities in their fight against illegal migration to the State Duma. MPs want to launch amendments to the Law On Non-Profit Organizations, according to which the list of socially oriented NPO will include a new occupation – assistance to the authorities and local self-administration bodies in the struggle against illegal migration.

However, the deputy chairwoman of the relevant State Duma committee on social unions and religious organizations, Yekaterina Lakhova, states that if the draft is to be adopted, there will be a risk of the appearance of many nationalist organizations where radical young people will work.

Irina Yarovaya, the head of the Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, says that initiatives which seriously restrict access of people who have committed crimes, have unpaid fees and have been deported earlier to the Russian Federation have already been adopted. “A part of amendments has been considered in our initiative,” Yarovaya states. “We believe we should return to them. The issues are connected with launching a registration norm for migrants, for example the so-called “rubber apartments.” Till requirements on register norms appear, we cannot speak about the changing of the situation for the better, i.e. that citizens won’t afford a huge number of foreigners to live in their flats. So, we need laws for migrants, for those who rent out apartments, for law-enforcement agencies – and in case of violation of the law, these people should incur responsibility.”

Yarovaya thinks that the law on the consideration of requests by citizens should set a shorter term of considering citizens’ requests on breaking the migration laws: “Today the whole term of consideration of any requests is a month. We believe these terms should be cut by half. We suggest setting the direct demand on providing an opportunity for citizens to send electronic requests on facts of illegal migration and setting the demand on conducting inspections during 10 days, according to the requests. The electronic form allows control over work of employees and well-timed actions.”

Yarovaya is also concerned about quotas: “We have a very strict position on the problem of quotas in this year – 25% to retail networks. I am sure the decision is wrong. During six years no quotas for migrants were given to retail networks. We didn’t see or hear reasons for granting 25% quotas to them. So, we hope that in the future the government will return to the practice which has been common earlier.”

Moreover, according to Yarovaya, “the current laws require that skilled foreign workers who come to Russia must have health insurance, as well as their family members. As for non-skilled labor force, there is no such a requirement. We think it is wrong. We suggest setting the obligatory demand on health insurance of an employed person and his or hers family members. Employers who attract migrants have certain tax benefits because they don’t pay these social taxes. It is wrong because actually the state pays for all social expenses of migrants. We suggest extension of application forms for foreign employees; information on criminal records and a number of family members who access to Russia with the employee should be included into it. It is very important from the point of view of social stability and economic benefits or losses from attraction of foreign labor force.”

Yarovaya is sure that “the Ministry of Labour should make real predictions on the development of the labour market. Our citizens and our young people should know what the most demanded spheres are, and what education should is needed to gain a stable job and salary. A reasonable approach to these problems will provide security of foreign citizens, impossibility to live in Russia as slaves, and the protection of interests of Russian citizens. It is a balanced position which is a guarantee of our security.”