DUSHANBE, December 10, 2008, Asia-Plus — Deputy of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) also leader of the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT), Muhiddin Kabirir, offers to reorganize the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection into the Ministry of Labor and Migration.
Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Kabiri said that the idea of a special ministry that would be engaged in solution of migration problems had occurred to him during his meetings with Tajik labor migrants in the Russian Federation this year.
Since labor migration has become a critical component of the country’s economy, determining socioeconomic and even political situation in the country, specific ministry is needed to deal with migration issues, according to him.
“Besides, remittances of labor migrants one of the main resources of livelihood in the country, especially in rural areas, and incomes from other ministries are incomparable with the value of incoming remittances, which is much higher,” Kabiri said, noting that Tajik authorities themselves do not take proper measures to create new jobs inside the country.
He further added that some other MPs also considered it expedient to establish a separate ministry for migration.
Kabiri said that according to official data, more than 500,000 Tajik labor migrants currently work in Moscow. “But Moscow is not the whole Russia and if to add our labor migrants working in other CIS states, it turns out that an estimated more than one million Tajik seasonal workers travel abroad each year,” said Kabiri, “Therefore, concrete ministry should be engaged in solution of the migration problems.”
He noted that to thoroughly study that issue he intended to visit a number of CIS states where many Tajik labor migrants were working.
“Tomorrow, I will visit Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where I will attend a meeting at the OSCE Academy and meet with Tajik labor migrants working there,” MP said.
We will recall that at present state agency for social protection of the population and migration within the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and the migration service within the Ministry of Interior are engaged in solution of the external migration issues.
