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NATIVE OF SOUTHERN GEORGIA SAYS ARMENIANS WILL NOT VOTE FOR SAAKASHVILI
ARMENPRESS
Nov 27 2007
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: A native of southern Georgian
region of Javakheti, who is an Armenian parliament member, said today
in Yerevan that voters in this predominantly Armenian-populated
province will not vote for Mikhail Saakashvili in January 5, 2008
snap presidential election.
Shirak Torosian, who is also head of a non-governmental organization
called Javakhk (the Armenian version of Georgian Javakheti), said
his fellows in the region will cast their ballots in favor of that
candidate whose election platform will spell out clearly ways to
protect national minorities in Georgia.
Shirak Torosian argued that ethnic Armenians in the Georgian province
have learned from their own experience that Saakashvili's policies
ignored the interests of national minorities.
According to Shirak Torosian, Armenians in Javakheti have always been
on the side of Georgian authorities, but in opposition to them when
they raise a long string of their pressing social and other problems.
He said Armenians of the region had endorsed Mikhail Saakashvili in
the previous election hoping that the West-leaning leader guided by
Western system of values would not ignore the needs of the national
minorities and would not violate democratic norms.
Shirak Torosian, specifically accused Mikhail Saakashvili of pushing
through the parliament the language law that actually has drastically
restricted chances of Armenians to hold even lowest government
positions.
"Georgian authorities are making everything possible to replace the
Armenian language by Georgian.
Armenians lacking the knowledge of Georgian, even teachers of Armenian
schools are being sacked," he said.
He said Armenians of the region want to learn Georgian, but they do not
want their native language to be replaced by it. He accused Georgian
authorities of failing to respect the Council of Europe Framework
Agreement on Protection of National Minorities, which Tbilisi signed
in 2005.
He said Armenians of the region are also against the construction
of Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway that circumvents and further isolates
Armenia. He said given a well-calculated Tbilisi's policy towards the
region Armenians of Javakheti will become a bridge between Georgia
and Armenia and not an obstacle.
At the end of his today's news conference Shirak Torosian said members
of his organization will vote for prime minister Serzh Sarkisian in
2008 Armenian presidential election.
ARMENPRESS
Nov 27 2007
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: A native of southern Georgian
region of Javakheti, who is an Armenian parliament member, said today
in Yerevan that voters in this predominantly Armenian-populated
province will not vote for Mikhail Saakashvili in January 5, 2008
snap presidential election.
Shirak Torosian, who is also head of a non-governmental organization
called Javakhk (the Armenian version of Georgian Javakheti), said
his fellows in the region will cast their ballots in favor of that
candidate whose election platform will spell out clearly ways to
protect national minorities in Georgia.
Shirak Torosian argued that ethnic Armenians in the Georgian province
have learned from their own experience that Saakashvili's policies
ignored the interests of national minorities.
According to Shirak Torosian, Armenians in Javakheti have always been
on the side of Georgian authorities, but in opposition to them when
they raise a long string of their pressing social and other problems.
He said Armenians of the region had endorsed Mikhail Saakashvili in
the previous election hoping that the West-leaning leader guided by
Western system of values would not ignore the needs of the national
minorities and would not violate democratic norms.
Shirak Torosian, specifically accused Mikhail Saakashvili of pushing
through the parliament the language law that actually has drastically
restricted chances of Armenians to hold even lowest government
positions.
"Georgian authorities are making everything possible to replace the
Armenian language by Georgian.
Armenians lacking the knowledge of Georgian, even teachers of Armenian
schools are being sacked," he said.
He said Armenians of the region want to learn Georgian, but they do not
want their native language to be replaced by it. He accused Georgian
authorities of failing to respect the Council of Europe Framework
Agreement on Protection of National Minorities, which Tbilisi signed
in 2005.
He said Armenians of the region are also against the construction
of Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway that circumvents and further isolates
Armenia. He said given a well-calculated Tbilisi's policy towards the
region Armenians of Javakheti will become a bridge between Georgia
and Armenia and not an obstacle.
At the end of his today's news conference Shirak Torosian said members
of his organization will vote for prime minister Serzh Sarkisian in
2008 Armenian presidential election.