Georgian Reconciliation Minister: Opening of Russian school in Tskhinvali should be signal for Ossetians
The school was opened by the de-facto ambassador of Russia to Tskhinvali. Photo: Imedi TV.
Tweet 
Share
Georgian Reconciliation Minister Ketevan Tsikhelashvili says that the opening of a Russian school in Georgia’s eastern occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region should be a signal to Ossetians living in the region.
The opening of the school in the Akhalgori area of the occupied Tskhinvali region is an example of Russian illegal actions, which reveals the real goals of Russia. Not only for the ethnic Georgians, but also for the local Ossetians the school should be a clear signal about Russia’s policy and goals,” Tsikhelashvili said.
Tsikhelashvili said that the restriction of receiving an education in one’s mother tongue, which Russia does in Georgia’s occupied territories, is one of the “gravest human rights violations.”
She says that the local Georgian population is even restricted to speak openly in Georgian.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani evaluated the opening of the Russian school as the “continuation of the Russian occupation” and an attempt by Russia to “fully annex historic Georgian lands.”
The school financed by Russia was festively opened in Akhalgori today with the presence of Russian politicians and the representatives of the de-facto government of Tskhinvali.
67 kilometers separate Tbilisi from Akhalgori.
The Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has nominated Tamar Mearakishvili, a Georgian activist based in the country’s occupied Akhalgori area, for the United Nations Human Rights Prize and Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize for her "outstanding contribution to defending the rights of conflict-affected population”.
The de facto leadership of Georgia’s eastern occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region has made Russian and Ossetian languages mandatory for teachers of kindergartens in Georgia’s occupied Akhalgori area, which is mostly resided by ethnic Georgians.
Georgia’s Minister of Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili says that occupied Tskhinvali’s hints about replacing the Georgian language with Russian at Akhalgori schools, is "another step within the policy of Russification”.
The United States (US) is urging the Russian Federation to respect Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also calls on Russia to withdraw its forces to pre-war positions.
Russian helicopters flew over several village of Gori municipality today, in eastern Georgia, near the occupation line between Georgia and its occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.