Russian president tightens control over migrants and makes officials responsible for inter-ethnic conflicts

Today in Saransk the opening of the first session of the Council on
Inter-Ethnic Relations took place. Opening the meeting, Russian
President Vladimir Putin said that the Council on Inter-Ethnic
Relations will actively engage with civil society, including the
opposition.

"It has to become a platform on which we can openly discuss current
problems of inter-ethnic relations," the president said, adding that
he expects the emergence of a dialogue with interested
non-governmental organizations and national-cultural autonomies, RIA
Novosti reports.

Putin also called for strengthening of the the civil unity of various nations.
Putin proposed that the Council on Inter-Ethnic Relations should
examine all the bills dealing with the national question.

Putin talked about the importance of ensuring the conditions necessary for
the integration of migrants, protection of their rights and social
security. At the same time, the migrants themselves must comply with
the requirements of Russian legislation and immigration rules, and respect
the culture and traditions of the region where they live, he said.


According to Putin, national communities ought to play a special role
in the adaptation of migrants.

With regard to the conflicts that took place in Kondopoga Sagra, and on
Manezhnaya Square in Moscow, Putin said that these were the results of
police inaction and the irresponsibility of officials and urged the
officials to pay more attention to issues of inter-ethnic relations.