Saakashvili Urged to Respond to MP’s Racial Slur
Public Movement Multinational Georgia and 15 other human rights watchdogs sent an open letter to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze calling for an appropriate response to MP Beso Jugeli’s disparaging comments on ethnic minorities living in Georgia.
Two weeks ago Jugeli, a memeber of the National Movement, said, while defending a new tax scheme for residents of Tbilisi’s Old Town that the proposal “is not directed against Georgians.”
“Mainly Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Kurds and other nationalities live in these historic districts… There is no necessity for Mikirtich [an Armenian name] to always live in Sololaki [a district in the old part of Tbilisi]”, Jugeli was quoted as saying in the daily 24 Saati (24 Hours) on April 12.
Public Movement Multinational Georgia demanded an immediate apology, but none was forthcoming from the MP.
“This statement insults Tbilisi and Tbilisites, the historical traditions of friendship, brotherhood, tolerance and diversity. We ask you to express your position …and take relevant measures… Today you are responsible for the stability and unity of Georgian society. We hope that your decision will not be delayed and it will help Georgia avoid the threat of fascism,” the open letter reads.
The president, however, has already commented on the incident. Speaking with the winners of the National Academic Olympiad on April 18, President Saakashvili said that “everyone’s traditions and ethnic background are our wealth.”
“If any foolish person, even in politics, thinks that this is Georgia’s weakness, he is bitterly mistaken,” the president said.
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