Patrushev reports 15% rise in migration into Far East in 2017
YAKUTSK. Aug 7 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia's Far East has posted a 15% rise in immigration in 2017, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said during a visiting session.
"About 400,000 foreign citizens have been registered as migrants in the district this year alone. The growth stood at 15%. More than half of them arrived for labor purposes," Patrushev said.
It is still necessary to significantly reduce illegal immigration, "which continues to threaten public security, creates a breeding ground for terrorism and transborder crime, and criminalizes economic relations," he said.
These threats and challenges remain topical for the Far Eastern Federal District, which sees rather intensive immigration processes amid the low density of the native population, Patrushev said.
"It is important to contain negative migration factors, to step up migration control, and to intensify the exposure and prevention of migration offenses with a focus on measures against corruptive practices," he said.
Considering the mounting terrorist threat, the effort towards timely identification of persons with criminal inclinations, including followers of radicalized religious trends, should be accelerated, Patrushev said.