The Georgian authorities have managed to find a job for none of civilian employees of a former military unit since the moment of Russian troops’ withdrawal from Akhalkalak. The authorities promised people to create jobs for them at the territory of already national army’s military unit, taking into consideration the general situation of unemployment and social tenseness. German Deutsche Welle reported that Georgian servicemen have not arrived in Akhalkalak yet, i.e. the Georgian authorities have not kept their word.

Resident of Akhalkalak Hakob Khanoyan had worked at the Russian military unit for around 30 years. According to him, only 30 former employees of the unit have managed to find jobs, some people had to leave the native town, but many people are still waiting for the Georgian authorities to keep their word.

“We were told that potato and other agricultural products will be purchased from us for Georgian servicemen, but we are still waiting for it,” said Khanoyan, adding that the authorities have forgotten them.

According to him, those citizens, who had worked at the military unit, face difficulties also with obtaining pensions and social benefits - they are advised to demand their pensions and benefits from occupants, with whom they had worked. Thus, these people have to rely on their relatives working in Russia, Armenia and other CIS countries.

Hakob Khanoyan was supported by male residents who gathered near the Armenian Church downtown Akhalkalak, but they spoke on condition of anonymity. According to residents of the town, they and members of their families, who work in state structures of the region, may face problems.

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Nalbandov said in a phone conversation with a Deutsche Welle correspondent that other regions of Georgia face the same problems as the Armenian population of Samtskhe-Javakheti.

However, residents of Akhalkalak said that other citizens of Georgia do not have problems with study of their mother tongue at national school. Besides, the other citizens do not face problems with integration into society. Meanwhile, Armenians of Akhalkalak region – 90% of its population – almost do not know Georgian language.

Residents of Akhalkalak say that the Georgian authorities do not solve the region’s numerous problems deliberately. They pointed to the example of member of the Armenian parliament Shirak Torosyan, who comes from this region. Specifically, Torosyan, who publicly voices problems of the Georgian regions inhabited by Armenians, is forbidden to cross the Georgian border.

Nevertheless, Deutsche Welle also reported that positive changes are observed in the region. Finally, construction of high-quality roads has been launched here. The Armenian church is being renovated. Besides, corruption has been eliminated in this region like in other places of Georgia.