Delyagin Demands an End to Dual Citizenship with Tajikistan — What’s Behind This?

One letter — and the calm waters of migration policy began to ripple. Russian MP Mikhail Delyagin wants to revoke the long-standing agreement with Tajikistan. But why now?

🇷🇺 It started with a letter

Mikhail Delyagin, a State Duma deputy and deputy chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy, has sent an official request to the Russian government. His demand: terminate the agreement on dual citizenship between Russia and Tajikistan.

The deal was signed in 1995 and ratified in 1996 — back when Tajikistan was reeling from a brutal civil war. Russia stepped in to help ethnic Russians and other cultural compatriots by offering citizenship without the need to give up their Tajik passports. A humanitarian gesture — and a logical one at the time.

Today? Delyagin says the situation is completely different.

⚠️ From humanitarian to harmful?

"The agreement has outlived its purpose," Delyagin argues.
"Now it's a source of problems, not solutions."

In his statement, the MP claims the treaty now encourages uncontrolled migration, not for work — but for social benefits. According to him, many Tajik citizens:

— Come to Russia not for jobs, but for citizenship
— Obtain Russian pensions
— Then return home while still benefiting from Russian social services
— Do not integrate, but build parallel communities

This, Delyagin believes, strains the Russian welfare system, destabilizes ethno-religious balances, and even undermines the legitimacy of the Russian state in the eyes of both new and old citizens.

🤔 Why is Tajikistan the exception?

There are no similar dual citizenship agreements between Russia and Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, or Kazakhstan. So why is Tajikistan given this unique treatment?

Delyagin emphasizes the discrimination this creates between post-Soviet states. And in a time when migration tensions are growing — this inequality looks more and more questionable.

🎯 What exactly is he proposing?

Delyagin isn't calling for reform. He's demanding complete termination — denunciation — of the agreement. That would mean:

— No more automatic dual citizenship
— Stricter rules for existing dual citizens
— A rework of migration flows between the two countries

In essence, Russia would be closing one of its oldest and most symbolic migration corridors.

📉 The consequences?

If the treaty is cancelled, it would mark Russia's most significant shift in post-Soviet migration policy in decades.

The fallout could affect:

— Thousands of dual citizens
— Families living between two legal systems
— Russia–Tajikistan diplomatic relations
— The labor market and welfare structure within Russia

This isn't just bureaucracy — it's a tectonic move.

🎙️ Why now?

That's the real question. Why is Delyagin raising this issue in 2025?

— Is it part of a broader strategy to tighten migration laws?
— Is it a personal political play to raise his profile?
— Or is it a signal from above — a soft probe to test reactions?

So far, the Kremlin has remained silent. But even silence speaks volumes.

🧩 Final thoughts

One treaty. One paragraph in Russian law. One letter from a Duma deputy.

And yet — it could unravel a delicate balance that has lasted nearly three decades.

Delyagin has spoken. Now we wait to see if Moscow listens.

💬 What do you think?

Should Russia reconsider all its dual citizenship deals with post-Soviet countries? Or would that be playing with fire?