Russian FM stresses importance of Russian language for migrants

Labor migrants from Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, must be familiar with the Russian language and Russian legislation. This was emphasized by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a press conference on April 23, following his visit to Uzbekistan and meetings with the country’s leadership in Samarkand.

“If we look at the situation globally, reducing the number of labor migrants is not in our interests, as labor shortages could hinder the implementation of many of our plans. However, the other side of the issue is the need to comply with Russian laws and prevent the rise of criminal tendencies among labor migrants. And such cases do exist,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov noted that Russia believes Uzbekistan “fully understands the importance” of minimizing opportunities for legal violations, as well as the risks of terrorism and crime within the migrant community.

“Russia consistently supports the efforts of Uzbekistan’s leadership, especially President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in maintaining interethnic harmony, strengthening the status of the Russian language as a means of interethnic communication in Uzbekistan, and preserving Russia’s cultural and historical presence in the country. Around a million of our compatriots live in Uzbekistan, and most of the population uses Russian in daily life to some extent,” Lavrov added.

He also highlighted the importance of bilateral cooperation in the fields of education and culture. According to Lavrov, over 56,000 Uzbek students are currently enrolled in Russian universities, and 14 branches of leading Russian universities are operating in Uzbekistan.

“We also emphasized the importance of completing the establishment of the international organization for the Russian language as soon as possible, in which Uzbekistan is an active participant,” the minister concluded.

It should be recalled that Sergei Lavrov arrived in Uzbekistan on April 22 and was welcomed at Samarkand International Airport by Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov. On April 23, he held meetings with Saidov and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. During the talks, Lavrov also briefed the Uzbek leadership on Russia’s ongoing contacts with the United States regarding the resolution of the Ukraine conflict.