YEREVAN. – Some people speculate on the fact of Armenian citizen’s emigration to Russia, argues Russian Ambassador in Armenia Vyacheslav Kovalenko in his interview to Radio Liberty. 

Reflecting on the Compatriots program, which helps foreigners to move to Russia, implemented by Russian Migration Service, Kovalenko said that Armenians decide to move to Russia on their own.

“Who takes Armenian away? If an Armenian [citizen] would not want to leave the county, would he leave? If he lives good enough in his country, why should he leave? Nobody takes people away. People decide to go on their own,” said Kovalenko.

The Compatriots program aims to resettle people who found themselves outside of Russia after the collapse of Soviet Union. It provides them with citizenship and employment. The program is designed to run from 2006 to 2012. Registration for process began on January 1, 2007.

As the head of Armenian Migration Service Gagik Yeganyan said to a press conference on July 29, 780 families or 1890 people left Armenia between 2007 and June 15, 2011. A total of 29,500 people applied to program office.