Nearly 900,000 Tajiks work in Russia, have transferred about $2 bln to homeland over past year - Putin
DUSHANBE. Feb 27 (Interfax) - Tajik citizens working in Russia have transferred to Tajikistan money amounting to nearly a third of the country's GDP, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a press conference after talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
"Money transfers that Tajik citizens working in Russia are making to their homes definitely serve as a serious support for the Tajik economy. According to our estimates, there are 876,000 of them today. The volumes of such transfers exceeded $1.9 billion, which is almost one third of the country's GDP, last year alone," Putin said.
"Russia provides the utmost possible preferences to Tajik citizens," he said. This includes "a possibility to stay [in Russia] for 15 days without registration, as well as the issuance of employment patents for up to three years," he said.
"Everything necessary is being done to provide worthy living and labor conditions for Tajik citizens and guarantee their social protection and medical aid. Bilateral agreements on labor and employment signed today are specifically aimed at this," Putin said.
