Tajikistan’s Migration Service denied reports that Russia is deporting Tajik migrant workers and warned against politicizing “natural socioeconomic problems.”
The conviction of a Russian pilot in a Tajik court on Tuesday on smuggling and border violation charges sparked a diplomatic row between Russia and Tajikistan.
Russia responded with a threat to deport 100 Tajik migrant workers who are in Russia illegally.
“In recent days many speculative and inflammatory reports have appeared in various media outlets…We are puzzled by the media and commentators’ dishonesty while covering the situation with our migrant laborers,” the Migration Service said in a statement, adding that deportations normally rise at the end of the year because of an increased number of migration violations.