PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA ANNOUNCES STATE PROGRAM TO TEACH GEORGIAN TO ETHNIC MINORITIES

The Messenger, Georgia
Black Sea Press
July 19 2007

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has announced a state program
to teach Georgian to ethnic minorities residing in the countryside.

"We plan to train 100 representatives of ethnic minorities from
Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli in the Georgian language,
and have them study at Georgian institutions of higher education,"
Saakashvili said.

Many ethnic Armenians and Azerbaijanis reside in these regions, and
many do not know the state language. This bars them from working in
most places.

Saakashvili then went on to say, "It’s not their fault that they
can’t speak Georgian. However, it’s our job to remove the language
barrier so that they can succeed."