Armenians of Javakhk concerned over the fact that their fate depends on Georgia's problems with its former autonomies

PanARMENIAN.Net - "It's important that Samtskhe-Javakheti is mostly inhabited by Armenians. The Armenian population makes 90 per cent in Akhalkalaki and 55-60 per cent in the region. It's worth mentioning that Georgia was always concerned over "separatist moods" of Javakhk Armenians, who do not treat Georgia like homeland. It refers to language, education and culture. Georgia is trying to change the demographic situation in the region, however in vain. Deportation of Turks-Meskhetians in 1944 fundamentally changed the demography of the region. The government of the Georgian Soviet Republic launched a large-scale settlement program after WWII. Bringing Georgians from other regions of the country, the government wished to break the domination of Armenians," expert at the Caucasus Media Institute, historian and political scientist Sergei Minasyan said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net



"It should be noted that the number of Armenians in Javakhk, despite the high rate of birth (one of the highest among Armenians throughout the globe), has not undergone serious changes," he said.



"In mid 1990-ies the Georgian President decreed to form a new administrative unit - the Samtskhe Javakheti region which included the Borzhom region (with the population of 33.3 thousand people, 10 per cent of whom were Armenians). According to the Georgian Constitution, any unit can be determined only after complete restoration of Georgia's jurisdiction throughout the state. Before the settlement of Abkhazian and South Ossetian conflicts, administrative governance is exercised by the President's plenipotentiaries. However, the institute of plenipotentiaries (also called governors) doesn't have an appropriate legal basis. The Armenian population is concerned over the fact that their fate depends on Georgia's problems with its former autonomies. Furthermore, as result of instability the overwhelming majority of the Russian and Russian-speaking population fled the country. Molokans and Dukhobors emigrated to Russia and Canada. Following the "order" of first Georgian President Zviyad Gamsakhurdia to create a Georgian buffer between Armenia and Javakhk, the villages of Dukhobors were settled by Ajarians. However, increase of Tbilisi's pressure on Armenians can produce a reverse effect," he said.

Full text of the interview