Moscow still calling on expats
The financial crisis has not made Russia abandon its programmes on repatriation of its expatriates. On the contrary – it will be easier to return to Russia, the government maintains.
Over the last 20 years, millions of Russians have left Russia and settled in other countries. The Russian government wants them back and has tailored attractive programmes on their repatriation to Russia. So far, few people have taken use of the programmes. In 2007, only 700 Russians resettled in the country. That number increased to 8800 in 2008, Vedomosti reports. That is however far below the goal. The government want as many as 443,300 expats to return home by 2012. Now, the authorities are elaborating facilitated procedures on Russians’ homecoming. It will be easier and the programmes will be extended, Minister of Regional Development Viktor Basargin says to Vedomosti. He admits that the programmes have a number of serious shortcomings. Originally, 6.5 billion RUB was budgeted for the programmes in 2009. That figure has been cut to 1.8 billion following the economic crisis.
