Kabardino-Balkaria suspends receiving Syrian repatriates

Accommodation of repatriates from Syria has been suspended in Kabardino-Balkaria, as the quota has been exhausted, Akhmed Stash, the head of the public organization "Peryt", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. According to his story, now his organization redirects repatriates to Adygea and Karachay-Cherkessia.

"For example, the last group of 40 persons, who arrived on August 12, was sent to Maikop," said Mr Stash.

He added that currently Kabardino-Balkaria shelters about 400 people from Syria, of whom 270 live in sanatoriums. Some of them have had Russian citizenship; thus, they came back; and, yet, they also need help.

The head of the "Peryt" believes that the flow of repatriates will not stop, they will continue coming. Those who have put together a package of documents for obtaining a residence permit, and those who have money will keep arriving.

"Maikop still has 200 places; and Cherkessk has about the same number. This year we will be able to receive about 350 persons more," said Akhmed Stash.

As he explained, "it's a very difficult comeback" because the immigration service and federal bodies view them as ordinary foreign nationals who come in the usual way.

Poor knowledge of the Russian and often the Kabardian languages is the main problem with adult immigrants, when they come to their historical homeland. Besides, they face protractions with processing their documents for obtaining residence permits.

The family of Gisam Stash lives in Nalchik for more than six months. In Damascus he was an interpreter from Arabic and English; in Kabardino-Balkaria he found work of sewing bags at one of the factories; however, he is happy.

He said that he had plans to return to his historical homeland; and the war just accelerated the process. When the situation gets normalized in Syria, he will go there and try to sell his house, which he abandoned in a hurry. He has three sons; and Gisam is happy that they easily master Russian.

The Syrian immigrants who live in sanatoriums of Nalchik receive free food for sponsors' money and medical care through the republic's budget.