On February 8th, the demonstration organized by the Azerbaijani community in front of the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi was anti-Armenian and anti-government in nature, and aimed to drive a wedge in the Armenian-Georgian relations. The Azerbaijani aggressive noise about the placement of Mikayel Avagyan’s bust in Bughashen followed a clear-cut goal to create tensions in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region and move the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict to the Georgian field. The media outlets of the opposition forces of Georgia’s current government also used the opportunity to solve their internal political issues. Their aim was to create a tense public opinion in Georgia against the authorities and Mikayel Avagyan’s bust was a good opportunity for them to criticize the Georgian authorities.
The Samtskhe-Javakhk Media Analytical Center has strongly supported the country’s authorities for their balanced approach and hopes that in the future this approach will be maintained. The appeal of the Azerbaijani community to dismantle the bust of Artsakh War fighter has a very provocative and destabilizing character and does not in any way derive from Georgia’s national interests.
The Armenians of Samtskhe-Javakheti clearly realize that what is happening is a provocation forced from outside, which must be answered with a balanced and literate approach for the benefit of our state and peoples.
Samtskhe-Javakhk Media Analytical Center
Akhaltsikhe 09.02.2019