YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of the New Eurasia Foundation, a program on protection of the rights of illegal immigrants from Armenia, Tadzhikistan and Kyrghyzstan will be soon implemented in the Volgograd, Stavropol and Sverdlovsk regions of Russia. It was announced at the January 31 press conference of representatives of the Forum of Russian Organizations of Resettlers and International Cooperation Center in Yerevan. The press conference was held in order to discuss the program "The Development of International Relations in the Russian Regions and CIS Countries and the Regulation of Migration Problems". According to Lidia Grafova, representative of the Forum, other CIS countries may also join the program that envisages legal and psychological assistance, as well as provision of necessary information about the available jobs and other social issues through the database collected at special centers. The press conference organizers announced that Armenia gave its official concent to participate in the program. It was noted that the budget of the program's first year makes 0.5 mln USD, and it is envisaged to extend the program by allocating 1 mln USD. L. Grafova expressed satisfaction at the fact that Russia is developing a new migration policy. In her words, "the RF State Duma will adopt in April a new law on the rights of foreign citizens in Russia with the aim of facilitating the legalization of their presence in the country." She said that the immigrants are not a burden, on the contrary, they can work for the good of any country. According to her, about 15 million illigal immigrants are now producing 7-8% of Russia's GDP.

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