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Tuesday, 29.11.2011
“Escape from Putin”: Will it be possible to halt emigration?
Moscow. Under Putin, many young Russians don’t see a chance for self-realisation. Therefore, every year tens of thousands leave Russia. The migration is to be slowed down before Putin’s expected re-entry into the Kremlin.
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The imminent return of the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin is horror for 27 year old Alexej. “Then I will emigrate” announced the computer expert. Many young Russians, who do not seek a career in government services, feel like Alexej. Ahead of the governmental elections on the 4th December, anger and despair about the government are spreading. The media talks of a real “escape from Putin”.
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“We are being lied to from A to Z”, says Oksana (32) angrily, as many others she does not want to give her real name. Unfair elections, no possibilities for self-realisation, high inflation, corruption, rising food prices, decreasing wages – the problems that Oksana raises are enormous.
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But above all, the fear of years of a reign by the power-tandem of Putin and the current leader of the Kremlin, Dmitri Medvedev – without any prospect of a change, as it is happening in the Arab world – drives young, well educated Russians to move abroad.
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One in five would like to emigrate
The risk of emigration by young educated people has been noticed, said Andrei Nikitin, head of the Moscow Agency for strategic initiatives. Putin himself said about this newly established agency that “additional structures need to be created that will allow young and interested people to realise their suggestions and ideas”.
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Medvedev, who always promises modernisation, talks on the same line: ”The problem is that we need to create opportunities at home”, the President said recently. The agency has the task to support these young, well educated people who are disillusioned by the Russian system, Nikitin stated in an interview with the press. With targeted advertising at emigrated Russians, Russia tries to lure them back. With a contractual obligation to work in government service, it would be possible to claim back the cost of education.
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Scientists are the avant-garde of all emigrants
A state flagship project is the new innovation and technology centre Skolkovo, near Moscow, where, in the future, the smartest minds in the country are to promote the country’s modernisation. However, many scientists continue to feel that they want to seek their fortune abroad.
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In research the emigration of scientists is clearly noticeable, stated the newspaper “Kommersant” in a topic analysis. Biologists, mathematicians and physicists complain about poor social conditions in Russia, excessive bureaucracy and non-transparent allocation of research funds in a completely corrupt economy. “ of those who have the opportunity to work abroad, 100 percent leave the country” told the prominent biologist Ilya Kolmanovski the newspaper.
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“I do not want my child to grow up in this country”, says Alexander, a Muscovite. But the 37 year old does not have the money for the emigration.
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Consequently he retreats into family life – and the weekends he spends at his dacha in the countryside. With no way out, many will go on inner emigration. (Benedikt von Imhoff und Ulf Mauder, dpa)
Original German text can be found here
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