Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has congratulated the public on Abkhaz Language Day earlier today.
Garibashvili emphasised that the Abkhaz language along with Georgian ‘is protected by the Constitution of Georgia and the state has a special obligation to preserve and develop it.’
The Abkhaz language, culture and traditions are an integral part and wealth of our common and diverse culture,” said Garibashvili.
He also touched upon the issue of the Russian occupation, noting that ‘the Abkhaz language is in serious danger of disappearing’ due to the occupant country’s politics in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia.
The Abkhaz language is one of the endangered languages in the world, based on the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger.
The Georgian government is taking important steps towards [Abkhaz language] survival and protection, development promotion and popularisation...Together we must create a peaceful future in a united European state,” stated Garibashvili.
Abkhaz is a Northwest Caucasian language with estimated 90,000 native speakers in Georgia’s occupied region of Abkhazia, while in total about 610,000 people are speaking Abkhazo-Adyghian languages in various parts of the world particularly in the Georgia’s Autonomous Republic of Adjara, in Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Germany and the United States.
Russia recognised the independence of Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region on August 26, 2008, following the Russia-Georgia war.
However, only four other countries – Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria – share Russia’s position regarding the occupied Georgian territories’ status, while the whole international community state that the regions are occupied by Russia.