The Russian government has been accused of state-sponsored racism after it approved laws banning non-Russians from several key sectors of the economy.

From January, foreigners will not be allowed to sell alcohol or medicine, and from April they will be banned from working in the retail sector.

The ban extends to Russia's indoor and outdoor food and clothing markets, as well as to thousands of roadside kiosks selling anything from newspapers to cosmetics. The jobs affected are typically low paid and are often done by immigrants from the former Soviet republics such as Tajikistan, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Nobody knows precisely how many people will be forced out of work, but the figure is estimated to be at least one million people.

Mikhail Fradkov, the Prime Minister, said the ban was needed to protect the rights of ethnic Russians who have complained of being squeezed out of the retail sector by immigrants......................

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article1990400.ece