A group of ethnic Armenian employees of the International Airport of Sochi issued a statement on 1 August, claiming that the airport authorities in the southern Russian city have shown a discriminating approach recently by seeking to force them out of their jobs on ethnic grounds.

Signed by 29 people, the statement appeals for help in this matter and highlights that the firing of Armenian workers is happening for a second year in a row. It stated that at the general services meeting with the airport staff, it was announced that workers with Armenian roots must resign voluntarily before 1 September 2019; in case of disagreement they would be intimidated with disciplinary actions and dismissal. It was also mentioned that the airport dismisses experienced workers and hires people with no prior working experience and gives them higher wages. The signatories of the statement even announced that they will appeal to the Federal Prosecutors Office in order to protect their jobs.

The Armenian embassy in Russia said that it monitors the situation closely. “Conversations have taken place with the relevant bodies in Sochi, airport authorities, the circle of people involved in the situation, and representatives of the Armenian community. The embassy has received clarifications from various parties, including the involved people, the local Armenian community, and relevant bodies”, read the Facebook post of the embassy.

The head of the airport’s press service Anna Shalimova denied the accusations. She said that the airport employs people of various ethnicities and that the company’s personnel policies are in line with the Russian legislation. She also mentioned that the statement was signed by “a small group of people who recently stopped working at the company deliberately using their ethnic identity to demand special conditions for them.” She also noted that the total number of employees who left the company for various reasons, like their own desire or wage reductions, as of 2019, only 3% were members of the Armenian diaspora, thus making the argument on ethnic discrimination non-valid.