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PROTESTS IN JAVAKHETI OVER FINANCIAL POLICE CLOSURES
By M. Alkhazashvili
The Messenger, Georgia
Oct 13 2005
Recent protests in Akhalkalaki immediately made headlines in the
Georgian, Russian and Armenian media. After the incident many in
the media, as well as Armenian officials, called on the Georgian
government to exercise special caution in the Javakheti region, which
is populated largely by ethnic Armenians, and to avoid further ethnic
conflict within its borders.
The presidential representative, or governor, in the Samtskhe-Javakheti
region Goga Khachidze stated that for the last three months Akhalkalaki
has not been able to fulfill its local budget because many locals
refuse to pay taxes. Recently the regional Tax Service, which is
staffed by ethnic Armenians, inspected three enterprises and the
financial police closed these businesses due to tax evasion.
Svobodnaia Gruzia reported that on October 5 locals staged a
demonstration in protest of the closures. During the meeting some
residents confronted the police and officers fired into the air to
restore calm.
According to reports by Akhali Taoba, despite the fact that all
participants in the confrontation - both residents and the police -
were Armenian, it is being treated by the Russian media as a case
of Georgian police attempting to stomp out separatist movements in
the region.
Even in Armenia the incident was viewed as an ethnic confrontation.
Garnik Isagulian, President Robert Kocharian's national security
adviser, issued a statement calling on Georgia to be more careful in
dealing with Javakheti.
"It is possible that the smallest provocation in this region may grow
into wide-scale conflict. Thus the Georgian authority must be more
attentive and careful," Isagulian is quoted as saying in Rezonansi.
Even the Georgian media has warned the local administration to be
careful. Indeed, exercising caution is important, but in the end we
still have a simple dilemma: will we stand for people claiming ethnic
discrimination when they are forced to pay taxes?
President Mikheil Saakashvili has defended the police and supported
their work to control the situation in the region. "All attempts to
create disorder will be unsuccessful," he said.
By M. Alkhazashvili
The Messenger, Georgia
Oct 13 2005
Recent protests in Akhalkalaki immediately made headlines in the
Georgian, Russian and Armenian media. After the incident many in
the media, as well as Armenian officials, called on the Georgian
government to exercise special caution in the Javakheti region, which
is populated largely by ethnic Armenians, and to avoid further ethnic
conflict within its borders.
The presidential representative, or governor, in the Samtskhe-Javakheti
region Goga Khachidze stated that for the last three months Akhalkalaki
has not been able to fulfill its local budget because many locals
refuse to pay taxes. Recently the regional Tax Service, which is
staffed by ethnic Armenians, inspected three enterprises and the
financial police closed these businesses due to tax evasion.
Svobodnaia Gruzia reported that on October 5 locals staged a
demonstration in protest of the closures. During the meeting some
residents confronted the police and officers fired into the air to
restore calm.
According to reports by Akhali Taoba, despite the fact that all
participants in the confrontation - both residents and the police -
were Armenian, it is being treated by the Russian media as a case
of Georgian police attempting to stomp out separatist movements in
the region.
Even in Armenia the incident was viewed as an ethnic confrontation.
Garnik Isagulian, President Robert Kocharian's national security
adviser, issued a statement calling on Georgia to be more careful in
dealing with Javakheti.
"It is possible that the smallest provocation in this region may grow
into wide-scale conflict. Thus the Georgian authority must be more
attentive and careful," Isagulian is quoted as saying in Rezonansi.
Even the Georgian media has warned the local administration to be
careful. Indeed, exercising caution is important, but in the end we
still have a simple dilemma: will we stand for people claiming ethnic
discrimination when they are forced to pay taxes?
President Mikheil Saakashvili has defended the police and supported
their work to control the situation in the region. "All attempts to
create disorder will be unsuccessful," he said.