GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE ANY STEPS TOWARDS INTEGRATING ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHETI
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.06.2007 14:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There are no corresponding conditions for integrating
the Armenian community in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, and the
Georgian government does not undertake any steps in this respect,
head of the Armenian Studies Center of YSU (Yerevan State University)
Haykazun Alvrtsyan stated to the PanARMENIAN.Net journalist. He said,
in fact Armenians in Javakheti do not have any opportunities to find
a job, since it compulsory to know the Georgian language. "But these
are just stipulations.
Armenians do know the Georgian language, it is being taught in
schools. They clearly realize that without the Georgian language
there is no way for them. The problem is in the policy of the Georgian
government.
For some reason politicians in Tbilisi think that Armenians of
Javakheti want to separate from Georgia by all means, although there
is no such intention there," H. Alvrtsyan underlined.
He also noted after the withdrawal of the Russian base in Akhalkalaki
Armenians began to leave the region.
"If earlier the base anyhow solved the social-economic problems of
the region, nothing similar happens now.
Judge yourself, there are only 20 000 Armenians left in Akhaltsikhe,
10 000 of which reside in nearby villages. A lot of Armenians who
have Russian citizenship are leaving from Akhalkalaki.
Turk-Meskhetians are replacing them. They are few yet, but next year
there will be much more of them.
However, we have a guarantee from the European Union that there will
be no ethnic collisions in Javakheti," H. Alvrtsyan underscored.