Uzbekistan calls on compatriots working in Russia to build "New Tashkent"

"New Tashkent": The Uzbek government is calling on migrant workers in Russia to work together to build a "New Tashkent." This may be hopeful news for only a small percentage of the more than one million Uzbeks working in Russia, where pressure on migrants is mounting.

An announcement distributed by the Uzbek embassy in Russia states that the construction of "New Tashkent" will require about 10,000 workers , which is a convenient opportunity for Uzbeks working far from their homeland.

Ten thousand jobs are not many for Uzbekistan, whose population of over a million is in Russia, but it seems interesting that migrants are being urged to return with concrete offers.

The initiative to build "New Tashkent", which is intended for two and a half million residents and is planned to be built on 20,000 hectares, belongs to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The President signed the resolution "On measures to build the city of New Tashkent" in 2023.

The construction project was developed with the participation of European engineers. The new city is expected to have a modern appearance, rich in green areas, and advanced technologies, unlike the old one. According to the plan, most government agencies will also be relocated to "New Tashkent".

The construction of "New Tashkent" is the second major project being implemented after "Tashkent City", which caused controversy and seriously affected the ecology of the capital.

During the implementation of this project, some Uzbeks in Russia were called up to work, and after the construction was completed, they returned to Russia.

In the wake of the war in Ukraine and the terrorist attacks in Moscow, pressure on migrant workers in Russia has increased to an unprecedented level, both in political circles and among the Russian public.

The Russian parliament has passed several laws restricting the rights of migrants, and President Vladimir Putin has signed a series of decrees restricting the flow of migrants.

Against the backdrop of these pressures, the Kremlin is reconsidering its policy towards immigrants. Attention is being focused on immigrants who adopt the values ​​of the Russian world and support Moscow's policies and propaganda.

On March 5, Putin, who held a meeting with the board of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, called for the adoption of an updated version of the migration policy in 2025, with the main focus on cutting the flow of illegal migration, increasing the opportunities for attracting compatriots and foreign citizens who respect and glorify Russian values ​​​​to the country's economy.

The significant escalation of Russia's existing policy towards immigrants, most of whom are from Central Asia, was evident during the Ukrainian war.

Despite Moscow's propaganda among migrants, large-scale material assistance, and promises of Russian citizenship in a short time, there has been no influx of migrants willing to join the war in Ukraine or sign contracts with the Russian army.

This has put pressure not only on immigrants who came to work, but also on regional residents who were previously Russian citizens. They have been left with the choice of serving in the army, participating in the war, or surrendering their citizenship.

The crackdown has not spared activists who have been defending the rights of migrants in Russia and opposing war propaganda. Many of them have left Russia, and some have been imprisoned.

One of them is Usman Baratov, the leader of the Uzbek community in Russia, who was imprisoned in Russia for insulting the Russian army. Originally from Uzbekistan, Baratov, who later received Russian citizenship, is still serving a prison sentence for his opposition to the war.

Baratov was among the activists who criticized the Russian government's migration policy, Russian nationalists, as well as the Uzbek government for failing to protect its citizens in Russia.

In Russia, however, pressure on immigrants, especially those alien to Russian values, continues unabated. Recently, the governor of the Vologda region issued a decree prohibiting the employment of immigrants in the construction industry.

This has sparked debate even in Russia, where labor is a major problem. There are reports that the governor was forced to reverse the decision. But the decision itself is seen as a signal of the attitude towards immigrants.

"In Russia, you can only work out of desperation," says Farhod Nazarov, an Uzbek immigrant who worked in construction in the Moscow region and has now moved to Turkey.

"In Russia, immigrants are nobody, they are not in a position of power. It's always been like this, it doesn't matter whether Uzbekistan joins the Eurasian Union or not. The policy in Russia is the same - against immigrants. Most of them work in construction, live there, and don't go out. Even then, you can't escape the police. People can only work in Russia out of desperation, I couldn't stand it any longer, I left," he says.

The Uzbek government has been stating that there is regular dialogue with Russia on the rights of labor migrants and that mutual cooperation has been established. VOA/SP