"EITHER LEARN GEORGIAN OR SELL POTATO": CHAIRMAN OF JAVAKHK ASSOCIATION ABOUT THE REGION’S PROBLEMS
Regnum, Russia
June 15 2006
"Javakhk should become a link rather than a gap between Georgia and
Armenia," the chairman of the Javakhk association Shirak Torossyan
said at a news conference in Yerevan on June 14. He says that all
the region’s problems will be resolved if "the status of local
self-government is raised." "We must not go to extremes and claim
independence, we must claim powers that will allow us to independently
solve our problems," says Torossyan. Special attention must be given
to solving financial-economic problems, preserving the region’s
historical-cultural legacy, attaining the recognition of the Armenian
language.
Financial and economic problems can be solved if the region forms
its own budget non-dependent on governmental transfers. "When a
regional budget depends on governmental transfers, this means that
the government follows its own purposes. A region cannot solve its
problems if it is in financial dependence from the central government,"
says Torossyan.
As regards the status of the Armenian language, Torossyan says
that his association is supporting the Javakheti Armenians in their
struggle for having Armenian recognized as the second state language
in the region. "Of course, the Georgian authorities are trying to
oppose this, but they can’t reasonably explain why they don’t want to
recognize Armenian as the second state language," says Torossyan. He
says that there are almost 100 Armenian schools in Javakhk. "We
oppose the demand of the Georgian authorities that all subjects,
except Armenian language and Armenian history, should be taught in
Georgian. We have taught our children in Armenian for centuries,
and this tradition must be continued," says Torossyan. Of course,
he who does not want to sell potato in Javakhk should learn Georgian
to be able to integrate into Georgian society and to work in Georgian
governmental structures. "However, when they put a ban on the Armenian
language people’s natural reaction is to oppose the introduction of
the Georgian language," says Torossyan.
The association is also concerned for the fate of the
historical-cultural legacy of Javakhk. "The Georgian side has
recently begun to very often doubt if this is Armenian or Georgian
legacy. They have not so far officially acknowledged the Armenian
Apostolic Church." "So, we have decided to make a kind of inventory of
the monuments to decide what belongs to whom," says Torossyan. He says
that his association is doing its best to prevent tensions and to find
fair solution – "so that we honestly say: this is Georgian and this
is Armenian." "Javakhk is now on the crossroads of the geo-political
interests of various states, and this is the key source of problems
for the local Armenians," says Torossyan.