The message that the Committee on nationalities of the state Duma has approved the bill, sponsored by Deputy Konstantin Zatulin, has been widely discussed in the Russian media. This document, developed on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation suggests to change the order of granting Russian citizenship to foreigners and redefines the status of “Russian speakers”. Discussion about the project went beyond Russia and caused the echo, in particular, in Kazakhstan.
“Russian citizenship now you can find “law of the soil” and on such criteria as knowledge of the Russian language. It is fraught, on the one hand, the increasing flow of immigrants from Kazakhstan, on the other hand, the creation of a “fifth column” in the Northern and Eastern regions of our country. Threat for the country with two passports?” Article with such a preamble was published on March 17 socio-political Russian-speaking Kazakhstan edition CAM. Responded to “zatulinskiy initiative” and other local media.
Through the prism of Ukraine
According to Kazakh opposition politician, Amirzhan Kosanov, if the local Russian-language media publication CAM is the exception rather then the number of Kazakh-language resources, especially social networks, critically commented on this post.
In an interview with DW Kosanov said that in Kazakhstan at the initiative of Russia in matters of foreign policy in the post-Soviet space looking through the prism of events in Ukraine and remember the examples of usage “passport factor” on the territory of South Ossetia and other former Soviet formations. “In addition, the Kremlin has never pulled Zhirinovsky and Limonov, when they openly stated claims of Russia on the part of the territory of Kazakhstan”, — the politician said, explaining the acute reaction to the “zatulinskiy initiative.”
But what is its essence? The bill of the question of dual citizenship is not, how about the “right of the soil”, says the coordinator of the joint Eurasian expert network Jeen Natalia Kharitonova.
“In the President’s message of December 12, 2012 was given the Commission to develop expedited procedures for granting Russian citizenship to native Russian language and Russian culture, direct descendants of those born in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. For those who want to move permanently to Russia and, accordingly, to renounce their current citizenship” — like Kharitonov.
To recognize a “carrier”
The judge said that zatulinskiy initiative intends to simplify the recognition procedure of foreigner “native Russian tongue” by adopting documents is not about living, but about his birth or his ancestors in a particular area and expands the territory from Russia to the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire. “But, more importantly, if used when applying a “carrier” on Russian citizenship were required to document that the person is already out of the citizenship of another country, now he will only need to confirm that he filed in this state, the application of resignation,” — says the interviewee DW.
“The bill is aimed primarily at the certification of Russian-speaking population living in crisis regions such as Ukraine, as the unrecognized Dniester Moldovan Republic, and not in the Central Asian republics. For example, in Moldova, the pridnestrovec extremely difficult to obtain a document confirming the exit of the Moldovan citizenship, as the Crimea in Ukraine”, — says Natalya Kharitonova.
However, in Central Asia, the situation is not quite simple — for example, Uzbekistan “may consider the statement from the “Russian speakers” to withdraw the citizenship of three to five years, and Russia is now the “medium” if given a residence permit, for three years without the right of renewal” continues Kharitonov.
The element of soft power
In turn, the Kazakh political analyst Pyotr Svoik believes that the bill is an effective element of soft power. “If it is accepted, and the issuing of Russian passports in accordance with it will be put on a firm organizational basis, is wanting to be a significant amount, including in Kazakhstan,” he suggests.
“I expect the division of attitudes on this issue about the same as on economic integration with Russia within the Eurasian economic Union (EEU). Many people realize that in spite of the Declaration, the EEU is a Union not a purely economic and political perspective. The attitude is as calm and positive and sharply negative, with a ratio of two to one. Zatulin initiative can be seen as the next step in the restoration of the political Eurasian Union, and the attitude is logical to expect the same as Eurasianism”, — said the source DW.
According to him, from the Patriotic intelligentsia, and the media will sound the thesis that the recipients of Russian passports do not deserve to be treated as compatriots. “Public counter these opinions do not, although there are people who Express it, the majority in Kazakhstan, — the big question. But the real measures of the government against the initiative of Russian deputies, I do not see”, — says Pyotr Svoik.
New Union statehood?
Moreover, dual citizenship in Kazakhstan is not allowed, and the Republic is still not the situation that the residents immediately rushed to get a Russian passport. “The process will go slowly and secretly. But the authorities of Kazakhstan and other States of the former Soviet Union, much would have to change to respond to Russia actually submitted a signal about its readiness to become a center of post-Soviet new, more gently organized “network” of statehood. To this we will have to adapt in terms of legislation and in terms of ideology,” assesses the situation Svoik.
According to Natalya Kharitonova, the Duma committees on Affairs of nationalities and on CIS Affairs, Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots already supported the bill. The Committee on state building and legislation is now considering feedback from the state bodies. Among them are negative.
“As I understand it, after considering all feedback, the Committee will introduce a bill at the first hearing in the state Duma. The developers expect that it will be adopted in the first reading, but can follow amendments and later regulations, narrowing its action. Many worried about a possible increase in migration flows from Central Asia. By the way, a number of Kazakh experts, sharply criticized the bill, and indicate that he need it in order to secure the Russian market of legal long-term labour with knowledge of the Russian language”, — says the coordinator of the Jeen.
Referring to the data obtained in the Ministry of internal Affairs of Russia, the expert said that in 2014, “holders” was found about 25 thousand people. Of them citizenship of the Russian Federation received about 4 thousand. Most of them are citizens of Tajikistan, which it is not necessary to abandon Tajik citizenship by virtue of the presence of the agreement with Russia on recognition of dual citizenship.
