Kyrgyz political expert: The problem of migration in Kyrgyzstan is vital as never before

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“The problem of migration in Kyrgyzstan is as topical as never before. For politicians it is a chance to score additional political points, for hundreds of thousands of ordinary people — a chance to survive. Due to emigration,” says the professor of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavonic University Nur Omarov says in an interview to REGNUM.

He says that the key reasons for emigration are unemployment, political and economic instability and “the effect of demonstration” – the example of emigrated relatives and friends proving that “There you can earn more than Here.”

Official statistics say that almost 350,000 Kyrgyzs work in the CIS and other foreign countries — of them, almost 250,000 in Russia, 50,000 in Kazakhstan. NGOs say that this figure is 2-3 times bigger. “However, both sources admit that they have no precise data on the number of Kyrgyz citizens searching for ‘better lot’ abroad,” says Omarov.

He also says that, according to surveys, most of labor migrants (83%) are ethnic Kyrgyzs. Of them, 96% are people from 18 to 45, i.e. mobile, active and able-bodied citizens. “90% of the Kyrgyz migrants work illegally. For example, in Russia only 42,000 of 250,000 Kyrgyzs have official registration,” says Omarov. He notes that migrants play a substantial role in the country’s economy – “the total inflow of funds into the country amounts to $450mln-500mln, which is almost equivalent to the national budget.”

However, instead of creating favorable conditions for people, the Kyrgyz authorities have put up with their impotence and regard migration just as a way to solve the country’s problems by “relieving” it of “surplus” population.

The emigration of job-seekers allows them to reduce social tensions, to draw additional funds into the economy. However, this is just “a short-term ‘demo-effect’ whose defects are much bigger than effects.” Omarov notes that uncontrolled migration is a threat to national security. “Borderline regions are getting desolate and are being gradually captured by neighbors. There is a growing demographic imbalance and irrational distribution of people over the country.” There is also another factor the Kyrgyz authorities neglect.

“They believe that those who have once gone abroad will be constantly coming back home. Yes, they will – but not as permanent residents but as guests. There is a growing risk that those who have gone and got well settled abroad will never come back,” says Omarov. He says that the Kyrgyz migration is peculiar: “Kyrgyzs who find jobs abroad take their families with them. This breaks their ties with their homeland. Many still want to live in Kyrgyzstan and express their nostalgic feelings by sending money to their families. However, it takes one almost 3 years to adapt oneself to new environment. So, in 15-20 years we may run short of qualified workers for developing our rather than others’ economy.”

Besides, the continuous emigration of young Kyrgyzs is leading to “reduction in the Social Fund’s receipts.” Omarov says that in some 20 years the country may face a situation when the state will no longer be able to fulfill its obligations to the population, particularly, to pay pensions and different allowances to poor and socially disadvantaged.