OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, in Georgia, discusses implementation of integration strategy for minority participation

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors visited Georgia from 12 to 15 April 2016, where she discussed policies to ensure the participation of minorities in public life, education reforms, language policy, and minority representation, among other issues.

While in Tbilisi, Thors welcomed the adoption of the State Strategy for Civic Equality and Integration and its Action Plan for 2015-2020 and encouraged its effective implementation. “Active policies should promote the participation of national minorities in public life, as their integration is in the interest of stability,” she said.

The High Commissioner met the Deputy Public Defender Paata Beltadze and explored possible future areas of co-operation in line with the Strategy, including how to improve access to justice for persons belonging to national minorities.

She heard the concerns of members of the Council on National Minorities who noted the need for more comprehensive policies to address potential tensions between minority groups and the threat of religious radicalization.

She also discussed the draft minority education policy elaborated by the Ministry of Education and Science and visited a number of schools in Marneuli, in the Kvemo Kartli region, that teach in minority languages and pilot bilingual education.

Interlocutors from government, civil society and the international community informed the High Commissioner about recent changes in education as well as documentation requirements in Abkhazia.

During the visit, the High Commissioner met President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze, State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Paata Zakareishvili, Minister of Education and Science Tamar Sanikidze, Deputy Public Defender Paata Beltadze, Speaker of the Parliament David Usupashvili, Deputy Head of the Central Election Commission George Sharabidze, as well as representatives from the Council of National Minorities, civil society and the international community.