GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA APPEALS TO DIASPORAN ARMENIANS TO MAKE
INVESTMENTS IN JAVAKHK
YEREVAN, MARCH 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Georgia is not
interested in Javakhik’s being emptied of Armenians. The Georgian
Ambassador to Armenia Revaz Gachechiladze stated this at the
discussion “The Threat of Expulsion of Javakhki Armenians, Youth
Problems in Javakhk” organized by the Mighty Homeland Party on March
9. The ambassador considered the concern expressed by the people
living in Armenia to be completely legal, moreover, he was grateful
that “you have opened our eyes” regarding certain problems. He
underlined that the Georgian government should take more care of the
regions. Particularly, it is willing to create new jobs, but the
market economy dictates its laws – capital flows where a profit is
made. The ambassador appealed to the Diasporan Armenians to make
invsetments in Javakhk, while the Georgian government will assist
them. He pointed out that the problem of jobs in industry must be
regulated by private capital. The Georgian diplomat noted that
knowledge of Georgian is required for administrative positions only,
which, according to him, makes 200-300, a maximum of 500 jobs. In his
words, knowledge of Georgian is not being imposed on Armenians, it is
just necessary for best integration into the Georgian society. He said
that only 300-500 Armenians are working at the Russian military base
in Akhalkalak, so people will not feel its closure, except for “those
who work there”. “The Armenian-Georgian friendship exists not only on
paper but also in reality: Georgia is interested in the Armenians’
being where they are – both in Armenia and Javakhk and their
well-being. It is also in Armenia’s interest that the Georgian ship
will not shake, since there are many who shake it. Let us help each
other instead of hindering,” the Georgian ambassador said. According
to the main speaker – member of the Mighty Homeland Party Board Shirak
Torosian, the Russian military base to be withdrawn from Javakhk
currently employs 3 thousand people. According to the party, at
present 100 thousand Armenians live in Javakhk or 95% of the
population, young people aged 16-35 make up 31% or 32 thousand, with
about 30 thousand of them or 93% being unemployed. 9 thousand people
or 30% leave Javakhk each year in search of work, and half of them
never return to Javakhk. To solve this problem, the Mighty Homeland
Party proposes creating the appropriate infrastructures to encourage
investments – to ensure 24-hour power supply, improve roads and the
railway. The party also proposes to use tax, customs, credit and other
privileges, to allocate part of the Georgian grant and credit programs
for Javakhk, etc.