President Vladimir Putin has urged to simplify the procedure of obtaining Russian citizenship, especially for immigrants from the former Soviet republics. He stated this on Friday, 2 December, reports “Interfax”.
“I have repeatedly drawn the government’s attention to the fact that the issues of Russian citizenship, especially certain categories of citizens of the former republics of the Soviet Union, that these issues should be minimum of bureaucracy,” — said the Russian leader.
The President also instructed to study the question of relief for figures of culture and art. “For creative people definitely have something to offer. Let’s try to get out of this situation”, — he said.
In this regard, measures to eliminate bureaucratic barriers should not degrade the level of security, Putin said.
November 29, American economist and former assistant for economic policy US Treasury Secretary in the administration of President Ronald Reagan asked Russian citizenship.
Last week, the American actor Steven Seagal has received from the hands of Putin’s Russian passport. During the meeting the head of state expressed hope that this gesture speaks of a “gradual normalization of our bilateral relations”.
Prior to that, Russian citizenship was granted to a number of athletes and artists, in particular American boxer Roy Jones Jr. and French actor Gerard Depardieu.