Building workers stranded in Grozny

MOSCOW - Anatolia News Agency

Families of stranded Turkish workers in Chechnya told the press last month that they are worried. This was before the Turkish diplomats intervened in the problem. DHA photo

Approximately 400 Turkish construction workers have been left stranded in Grozny after an Azeri contractor in charge of their site fled from Chechnya, the autonomous Russian region.

Salih Atalay, one of those stranded, said none of the workers had received their wages for five months.
After hearing about the incident, Turkish diplomats from the Moscow embassy went to Grozny 10 days ago and sent 200 Turkish workers back to Turkey.

The remaining 400 do not want to depart without their wages.

Many of these workers lack visas and are illegal workers.

Another delegation from the Turkish Embassy in Moscow, including the undersecretary for foreign trade, has departed for Grozny to ensure that the remaining workers are sent back to Turkey.

The Turkish embassy has urged the workers to take legal action against the contractor once they reach Turkey and said they would offer their services to this end.