Salome Zurabishvili Urges Javakheti Armenians to Learn Georgian

The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, addressed the Armenian population in Javakheti, urging them to master the state language of the country, Georgian. This was reported in an interview with Akhalkalaki Mayor Yura Hunanyan.

“Conditions have been created for our population to study in their native language in schools, and knowledge of Georgian will have a more positive than negative impact on us,” he noted.

Yura Hunanyan also mentioned that Salome Zurabishvili has been in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region for three days, visiting Akhaltsikhe and several other districts, and last night he was in Akhalkalaki: “Today, the President of Georgia met with the local population in Akhalkalaki and visited a church,” he informed.

However, the Mayor of Akhalkalaki emphasized that the purpose of the President's visit was not solely this appeal directed at the Armenian population, as April 14 is celebrated as the Mother Tongue Day in Georgia, and the President's visit was within the framework of that occasion.

Shirak Torosyan, President of the “Javakhk” Compatriots Union and a member of the National Assembly from the “My Step” faction, also highlighted the President's message regarding the language: “The message from the President of Georgia was that the local Armenians do not have a good command of the state language and he urged them to master it so they can integrate more comprehensively into the Georgian state. This message is understandable and we do not oppose it; we also desire for the Armenians of Javakheti to master the state language,” he told NEWS.am.

The parliamentarian also emphasized that the Armenian population of Javakheti should heed Zurabishvili’s calls and be able to master the state language, but Georgian officials should also consider that the region is predominantly Armenian, and there are issues regarding the preservation of the Armenian language, the Armenian church, and Armenian identity: “Language policy should be conducted in such a way that Armenians mastering Georgian do not lose their language and Armenian identity,” said Shirak Torosyan.

It is noteworthy that on April 14, in connection with the Mother Tongue Day, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili visited Javakheti. The President opened a wall decorated with the Georgian alphabet in Akhalkalaki and met with the local Armenian population.