Red tape with sending Kullar camp tenants triggers criticism of authorities

The next group of Azerbaijani citizens to be sent home from the tent camp in the Dagestani village of Kullar includes 250 people; most of them are those who have recently arrived there. Meanwhile, there are camp tenants who are waiting for departure for a long time, while the new arrivals leave for home just in a few days, the camp long-livers complain.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Russian-Azerbaijani border is closed due to the pandemic; and the citizens of Azerbaijan, waiting for the departure to their homeland, have to live in a temporary residence set up in a form of a tent camp near the Dagestani village of Kullar. The campers are sent home in groups; lately it is done on a weekly basis.

Now, on August 2, the tent camp houses 470 people, said Afig Alakhverdiev, the deputy chairman of the regional National Cultural Autonomy of Azerbaijanis in the Moscow Region. The next group of Azerbaijanis will cross the border on August 4. According to Alakhverdiev, the list for departure is ready – it includes 250 people – women, children and those who have lived in the camp for a long time.

Gusein, a citizen of Azerbaijan, has been living in the camp in Dagestan since June 17; however, he was not included into the list of those who leave on August 4, Gusein himself told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to Gusein's calculations, a sufficient number of people are living in the camp waiting to be sent home for a long time; but there are those who leave for Azerbaijan after staying in the camp for just three days.

He has added that among long-livers there are persons with serious chronic illnesses, but they still cannot get home.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 3, 2020 at 11:54 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.