Locals Clash in Multi-Ethnic Tsalka after Burglary Case

Several people were injured after local residents of multi-ethnic Tsalka district in Kvemo Kartli region in southern Georgia clashed on March 17.

Reports say that clashes erupted between local Georgian and group of local Greeks and Armenians, after unknown group assaulted ethnic Greek family in an attempt of burglary in the village of Avralo in Tsalka district. Local Greeks and Armenians accused ethnic Georgians of this burglary.

Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said on March 18 that ?situation in Tsalka is under control? adding that ?there is no ethnic conflict between the locals in Tsalka.?

Local officials describe clashes between ethnic Georgians and Armenians, which have been reported sporadically in Tsalka district for several years, as ?a communal violence.?

Ethnic Armenians comprise 57% of population of Tsalka district with population around 20,000, according to the Georgian department of statistics.  4,500 ethnic Greeks, 2,500 ethnic Georgians, up to 2,000 Azerbaijanis also live in there.

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