Pandemic corrects plans for Circassians' resettlement to Adygea

Due to the closed borders because of the coronavirus pandemic, some participants of the resettlement programme for Circassian compatriots to their homeland could not enter Russia, said Asker Shkhalakhov, the head of the committee on ethnic affairs, relations with compatriots and mass media of Adygea.

The implementation of the state programme to assist the voluntary resettlement of compatriots was launched in the second quarter of 2019. In 2020, 42 persons expressed their desire to participate in the programme; eight persons were denied, Mr Shkhalakhov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"They were rejected because of their low qualification, for example, a hairdresser or a metallurgist. There is no metallurgy in Adygea, and there are many hairdressers. We accept people according to their professional qualifications or according to a declared vacancy," he has explained.

According to his story, 34 applications were accepted; there are 109 people with family members in the programme; and they all received certificates.

The programme participants have the right to enter Russia within five years. Some of them could not enter in 2020 due to the pandemic, Asker Shkhalakhov has stressed.

He believes that there could be more participants in the programme, but the countries of ethnic residence of Adygs-Circassians – Syria, Turkey and Jordan – have stopped accepting applications in place; and now those wishing to move need to turn to the migration service, which creates additional difficulties.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 6, 2021 at 02:03 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.