"Azeris residing in Georgia can undertake most radical measures - up to announcing an autonomy in the areas of their compact residence, if the Georgian authorities do not stop their discrimination policy towards the Azeris," stated Zumrud Gurbanov, the Chairman of Heyrat non-governmental organization, which represents Azeris residing in Georgia. Day.az reported referring to Trend news agency. Gurbanov is former MP of the Georgian Parliament, representing E. Shevardnadze's party.
It should be reminded that the other day a 65-year-old Azeri woman died at hospital from firearm wounds. Four Azeris were gravely wounded due to an armed incident next to Kula village. In Gurbanov's words, "the incident in Kula village took place before the eyes of the police, which did not undertake anything."
Azeris compactly live in the South-Eastern part of Georgia, known as Kvemo Kartli. These are the descendants Borchalu Turkic-language tribes, which were brought to the region by Abbas Iranian shah - after he had undertook mass expulsion of Georgians and Armenians from the region. Azeris, whom the Georgians traditionally call "Tatar", today are the second on the size national minority of Georgia. Most of them do not speak Georgian and are slightly integrated into the Georgian society. Increase of Islamist sentiments among them is not ruled out.