Doc. 10616

27 June 2005

The position and social problems of Azerbaijanis compactly living in Georgia

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr R. Huseynov and others

About 500,000 Azerbaijanis have been historically living compactly in the Republic of Georgia.

      With a view to getting more active involvement of the Azerbaijani population to the social-political life of the country and to improving their life conditions within the framework of the domestic legislation, there is a need to resolve a number of problems and continuing attention should be paid to these issues.

      The majority of the Azerbaijani population of Georgia is living in the villages and their main employment has been historically based on agriculture. Nevertheless today the most serious problem confronted by this population is related to the land. The possibilities of Georgian and Azerbaijani citizens are unequal. Besides the subjective obstacles arising during the distribution of lands, the adopted legislation causes serious restrictions to the land ownership of the citizens of Azerbaijani origin who are considered formally as citizens having equal rights in the country.

      In the region Kvemo-Kartli where live the Azerbaijanis of Georgia the Azerbaijani names of places set up during the centuries, which were reflected in the old maps, are changed on a regular basis in the last hundred years. The modification of names of places is unfortunately continued in an intensive way in the last 15 years. The region of Borchaly (changed into the Georgian name of “Marnauly” in 1947) where the Azerbaijani population has been living historically, has had a territory of 6.9 thousand km2 in 1905, currently its territory has been reduced by three times. In ten districts of the region of Borchaly 80% of more than 100 Azerbaijani names have already been changed. The same case has repeatedly occurred in other places where the Azerbaijani population lives compactly. Upon the order of the late President Gamsakhurdia, without the approval of the parliament and any legislation the Azerbaijani names of places have been massively changed. During the presidency of Mr Shevardnadze this issue has been subject to numerous discussions, but no concrete measure has been taken and until today this delicate problem related to the memory of history of Azerbaijanis of Georgia is waiting for its solution.

      The fact that following the staff policy conducted in the country the persons of Azerbaijani origin are not nominated to high posts raises concerns and it is one of the reasons which restrict the active participation of Azerbaijanis in the construction of the future of Georgia.

      The absence of separate TV-radio broadcasting channels of Azerbaijanis in the country or absence of programmes prepared in their mother tongue in the channel broadcasted on the whole territory of the country is one of the problems to be tackled urgently.

      The field of education also requires some attention. There is need for the university teaching in Azerbaijani or the creation of a separate faculty within one of the existing universities in the country. The obstacles created for the teachers graduated from the universities of Azerbaijan in the employment resulted in the lack of pedagogical staff, which undermines the development of education. The elimination of certain restrictions for the possibilities for Azerbaijanis for studying in their mother tongue and the authorisation of teaching the history and geography of Azerbaijan along with the history and geography of Georgia in the schools of the regions with compact Azerbaijani population are necessary.

      Taking into account the necessity of paying due attention and of the resolution of these and other problems of the Azerbaijani population as one of the main national minorities of Georgia, the Assembly:

- considers appropriate the discussion of this issue in the relevant committees and the designation of a rapporteur on this problem;

- calls on the Committee of Ministers to pay particular attention to the problems of Azerbaijanis living historically in a compact way in Georgia in the context of protection of the rights of the national minorities in the member states.

Signed ¹:

HUSEYNOV, Rafael, Azerbaijan, LDR

ALIBEYLI, Gulamhuseyn, Azerbaijan, EDG

BATET, Meritxell, Spain, SOC

GREBENNIKOV, Valery, Russia, EDG

ILAŞCU, Ilie, Roumanie, NR

RIGONI, Andrea, Italy, EPP/CD

SASI, Kimmo, Finland, EPP/CD

SHYBKO, Vitaliy, Ukraine, SOC

SLUTSKY, Leonid, Russia, SOC

TEPSHI, Qazim, Albania, EPP/CD

URBÁNI, Milan, Slovakia, NR

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      ALDE : Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group