Moscow's Little Kyrgyzstan
Russia's Central Asian migrants face a corrupt bureaucracy, harassment from the police and anti-immigrant sentiment among the population. Yet none of these issues can dissuade them from trying for a better life.
Russia is the second most popular global destination for migrants, after the USA. But they are not universally welcome: "Of course migration is quite a serious problem for us", comments Professor Solovei of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. The suggestion of free movement within the Eurasian Economic Union has further divided opinion. Svevolod Radchenko, from the Coalition For A Visa Regime, argues that migrants should be assessed for their suitability: "This person has tuberculosis, AIDS and other such diseases. Do we need this person? We don't". However, the economic incentives will continue to draw migrants, despite the difficulties: "We have to live in an apartment with 10 or 15 other people", says Shukurinsa Kamalova, "since rents are expensive, a family cannot afford to pay it alone."
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