Giorgi Tsurtsumiya: "The authorities are elected to solve problems"

At the beginning of this year, the Russian Ministry of Justice registered a new all-Russian public organization – the Georgian Federal National and Cultural Autonomy in Russia. The main objectives of the organization are integration and support of Georgians and natives of Georgia residing in the territory of the Russian Federation, the improvement of the inter-ethnic climate in the country, as well as the strengthening of good-neighborly relations between Russia and Georgia. A social activist and businessman, author of scientific works in the field of jurisprudence, a resident of Sukhumi, Giorgi Tsurtsumiya, was appointed the chairman of the organisation.

Tsurtsumiya stressed in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza that the Georgian National and Cultural Autonomy is a federal structure: "There is a need for such a federal agency in Russia, Georgia also needs it. In recent years it is especially important. We see that problems of refugees and displaced persons, nationalist problems are becoming intentional. Therefore, we will not only help all Georgians to solve their problems in Russia, but also develop proposals for the government and society."

Tsurtsumiya said that the main objective of the autonomy is to help Russians studying the Georgian culture, traditions and language. "In addition, it is necessary that immigrants from Georgia living in Russia have an opportunity to come to us with their problems. We will help to solve them or send these people to the authorities or public organizations," Tsurtsumiya said.

Assessing current Russian-Georgian relations, he said: "Today, our relations are reaching a new level of warming and we need to promote it. I see that there is a desire coming from both sides to improve relations. I think our Federal Georgian National and Cultural Autonomy will help Russia and Georgia to better understand each other and establish closer contacts."

Speaking about the steps which can contribute to the process of normalization of relations between Moscow and Tbilisi, Giorgi Tsurtsumia named dialogue: "There will always be problems. The main thing is to be able to solve them. People should meet each other, leaders must meet with each other. The authorities are elected to solve problems. I hope that there will be a direct meeting between the Georgian and Russian leaders. We, civil society organizations, can represent current problems, summarize and direct them somewhere, but we cannot solve them. But we can help to ensure that people treat each other with greater respect, respect traditions, customs, cultures, respect human rights and freedoms. In Russia, Georgia should be adequately represented by all Georgian natives – Georgians, Ossetians, Abkhazians, Armenians, Greeks, Jews and Russians who consider Georgia as their homeland."

Commenting on the upcoming celebration of Georgian Independence Day on May 26th, which is dedicated to the country gaining sovereignty in 1918, Tsurtsumiya said. "Independence Day is a symbolic celebration. I am very serious about it, because independence is a great responsibility, both within one's own country and in external relations. God grant that Georgia's independence leads it to even greater successes in terms of the realization of human rights."