DUSHANBE, September 17, Asia-Plus -- More than 2,000 Tajik nationals have expressed with to leave for the Russian Federation for permanent residence within the framework of the Russian national program for assistance in voluntary resettlement of fellow-countrymen to Russia, Viktor Sebelev, a chief expert with the representative office of Russia’s Federal Migration Service (FMS) in Tajikistan, remarked at a briefing in Dushanbe on September 14.  

According to him, practical implementation of the program has already started in Tajikistan, and the first families from Tajikistan will leave for pilot regions in Russia next year.  “They will be sent to rural areas in Siberia and Far East, as well as Kaliningrad, Tambov and Kaluga regions,” the chief expert said, noting that preference will be given for those “who have good command of the Russian language and have been brought up in Russian traditions.”  

According to the FMS local office, the program for voluntary resettlement of fellow-countrymen is funded from the Russian federal and regional budgets as well as at the expense of legal and physical entities participating in implementation of this program.    

The three-staged program for voluntary resettlement of fellow-countrymen living abroad was launched last year and will be finished in 2012. 

The first stage included adoption of legal documents necessary for organizing the voluntary resettlement  of fellow-countrymen to Russia, creation of system to manage the program, assessment of Russia’s requirements in manpower as well as preparedness of regional infrastructure (providing basis social services, housing, etc) for accepting migrants.  

The second stage designed for 2007-2008 provides for direct resettlement of the program participants to the Russian Federation as well as analysis of the results of implementation of the regional resettlement programs.

The third stage that will be launched in 2009 will conclude implementation of the program and assess effectiveness of implementation of the regional resettlement programs.  

 According to unofficial data, some 30,000-35000 ethnic Russians now live in Tajikistan.