European Charter and the Issue of Regional or Minority Languages in Georgia

The policy of international relations within the country, conducted by modern Georgian State is based on rich historical traditions of our country and on the fundamental provisions of the two documents approved by the world international organizations –“European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages” and the “Framework Convention on Human Rights for Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.” Besides, the European documents givethe prerogative to the authorities of concrete countriestaking into consideration the democratic principles, to determine the criteria basing on which a certain language spoken in the territory of thisor that country will be given the status of anindependent language.”It was natural that Russian occupation of Georgiahad left its trace in every area of the social life in the country. The people of different nationalities living in Georgia always preferred their children to go to Russian schools which were widely spread all over the country and restrained the area of using the Georgian language. Additionally, it conditioned the low level of civil identification. This in its turn caused the situation in which the ethnic groups living in Georgia perceive themselves as the representatives of theirhistorical homeland, and not as the members of the Georgian society. This is such situation which represents the main peculiarity of Georgia in comparison with Western civilized countries. If the mentioned situation is not taken into deliberate consideration, conducting the right policy of international relations within the country will not be successful. After restoringthe independence of Georgia, the motivation to learnthe Georgian language has increased among the national minorities living in Georgia.The situation is improvingslowly but steadily.The State Language regains its due position which means that the linguistic situation in the country is returning to its natural position.