NATIONAL

INTEGRATION AND
TOLERANCE IN
GEORGIA

Assessment Survey Report

National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia Program

United Nations Association of Georgia
United States Agency for International Development 1
 Involved Agencies
and Experts

Freedom House BCG Research

Europe

Institute of Social Applied Research

Researchers Company

National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia Program
United Nations Association of Georgia
2007
Research Team:
Levan Tarkhnishvili – Team Coordinator
Marina Imerilishvili – Associate Coordinator
Andrei Khanzhin – Team Member
Giga Zedania – Team Member
Ia Biganishvili – Team Member
2
Research Methods

Desk Research Focus Groups

• Legal review, secondary data and • 11 focus groups, attended by 10-

research from various think- 15 participants each, were held
tanks, NGOs, international in the period of December 2006-
organizations, feedbacks from
ministries and state agencies, January 2007.
reports and recommendations of
the Public Defender

Public Opinion Survey Media Monitoring

• Country-wide, 2400 respondents • Programs of 4 television stations

above 18 were interviewed in 239 with nation-wide coverage:
selected areas. Validity: 95% Rustavi 2, Imedi, Mze and the
Margin of error 2-3%. Public Broadcaster, and of the 2
regional television.

3
List of Main Indicators

• Central Authorities
• Local Government
• Election Process
• Civil Society and Socio-Economic Rights
• Judicial Authorities
• Social and Cultural Rights and Interaction
• Media

Each indicator included the following sub-indicators

• Rights
• Representation
• Participation

4
Opinion Survey Geography

Tbilisi 450
Samegrelo 200
Samtskhe-Javakheti 390
Imereti 325
Shida Kartli 140
Adjara 165
Guria 70
* Total 2400 respondents has been interviewed allover Georgia Kakheti 170
Mckheta Tianeti 50
Kvemo Kartli 440
5
Findings
Successful Developments

1. Minorities feeling and the wish to

be part of Georgia is obvious: most
persons belonging to national
minorities call Georgia their
homeland, associate their future
with it, and participate massively
to elections.

6
 What is Georgia for you?
Non Georgian residents of Kvemo Kartli
Non Georgian residents of Samckhe-Javakheti

Homeland 98.7%
80.2%
Life 0.3%

Location 0.3%
5.3%
My favourate country 0.3%
6.5%
Everything 0.2%
0.6%
Country of my kids 0.2%
Country of my husband
0.4%
My land 0.2%
My state
2.0%
Location of my birth 0.3%
Normal country
0.3%
Georgia
Good country
Gold
0.4%
0.2%

Respondents had a possibility of an open
answer.

0.3%
Can not answer
3.2% 7
Would you vote in the local elections?

Yes No
Kvemo Kartli

76.9%
Why didn’t you vote in the local
23.1% elections?

Was out of city/village 24.9%

Was ill 17.9%

Saw no sense, as the elections do not
15.1%
change anything
I do not live at my registration area 14.6%

Was not in the list 14.6%

Saw no sense, as the elections would be
5.3%
falsified anyway
Had no passport 1.8%


Had no wish 1.7%
Respondents had a list The election materials were not on the
1.4%
of possible responses language known by me
Due to personal problems 1.3%
8
Other 1.5%
Would you vote in
the local elections?
Yes No
Samtskhe-Javakheti
81.7%
Why didn’t you vote in the local
elections?
18.3%

Was out of city/village 44.7%

Was not in the list 23.7%

Was ill 13.8%

Had no passport 8.6%

Saw no sense, as the elections do not

change anything 2.5%


Respondents had a list
of possible responses I do not live at my registration area 2.1%

other 4.6% 9
Findings
Successful Developments

2. The majority of respondents to the

survey have an intuitive opinion
about these issues: most think
minority rights should be protected
and

10
Should minority rights
be protected at all?

Total Kvemo Kartli Samckhe-Javakheti

91.2%

Yes
92.4%
66.0%

1.6%
Know 2.4%

8.3%

7.3%

Cannot answer 5.2%

25.8%
11
Findings
Successful Developments

3. at the same time persons

belonging to national minorities
should have the same rights as
others

12
Should minorities enjoy
special protection?
Total
No they have to have same rights and obligations as majority 71.6%
Yes there should be special law on minorities 19.0%
Yes, to secure the culture identity 13.3%
Yes, to secure the political autonomy 1.5%
Cannot answer 0.3%

Kvemo Kartli
No they have to have same rights and obligations as majority 65.0%
Yes, to secure the culture identity 26.3%
Yes there should be special law on minorities 15.5%
Yes, to secure the political autonomy
2.0%
Samtskhe-Javakheti

No they have to have same rights and obligations as majority 50.6%

Yes there should be special law on minorities 34.8%
Yes, to secure the culture identity 12.4%
Yes, to secure the political autonomy 1.1%
Cannot answer 1.8%
13
Findings
Successful Developments

4. Minority rights are

mainly protected


The Georgian Ministry of Culture has financed the
issuance of several newspapers, including Armenian-
language Vrastan, Azeri-language Gurjistan and
Russian-language Svobodnaya Gruzia.

The legislation determines the key obligation of the

Georgian Public Broadcaster to broadcast a proportional
amount of programs prepared by minority groups in their
language; while the Community Broadcaster is obliged
to highlight the opinions of national minorities living in
the zone of its coverage.

14
 Are minority rights
protected in Georgia?

Total Kvemo Kartli Samckhe-Javakheti

35.9%
Yes
28.0%
12.2%

35.3%
More or Less 28.0%
39.4%

8.3%
No 9.0%
16.6%

20.5%
Cannot Answer 35.0%
31.8%
15
Findings
Successful Developments

5. New laws, particularly in the field of

education, increasingly ban discrimination
and refer more and more to international
law.
6. There are no laws or policies that would
explicitly prevent access of national
minorities to their rights or life
opportunities
7. The legislation contains scattered
provisions directly addressing the specific
circumstance of national minorities or
relevant to them, within a system that
provides for equality before the law
16
Findings
Identified Problems

1. Geographic remoteness of
several minority-populated
areas,
2. linguistic differences, lack of
Georgian language skills

17
Do you speak Georgian?

Yes No

Non Georgian residents of Kvemo Kartli

16.9%

83.1%

Non Georgian residents of Samckhe-Javakheti

24.6%

75.4%

18
Does the fact of not speaking in
Georgian create any
problems, if yes, in which fields?
Non Georgian residents of Kvemo Kartli and Samckhe javakheti who do not know Georgian

Non Georgian residents of Kvemo Kartli, 83.1%

Non Georgian resident of Samckhe Javakheti , 75.4%

Only when leaving my 51.7%

locale
39.3%

While communicating 31.7%

with governmental
agencies 9.2%

Doesn’t create any 20.4%

problems
41.1%

6.4%
In everyday life
9.7%

1.0%
In running the business
1.1%
19
Findings
Identified Problems

3. limited access to the

country’s media

20
What are the main information sources for
you?
Kvemo Kartli

National TV station 60.9%

Azerbaijani TV Channels 38.2%
National printed media 17.7%
Russian TV Channels 10.2%
Local TV station 6.7%
Foreign TV Channels 3.7%
Armenian TV Channels


3.6%
Azerbaijani radio channels 3.3% Respondents had a list of
possible responses as
Turkish channels 2.8% well as the possibility of
an open answer
National radio channels 2.7%
Internet on foreign language Comment: Respondents
2.1%
had more than one option
Friends/relatives 1.7% of responses, thus, the sum
Local Radio channels of the responses exceeds
1.0%
100%. Responses less than
other 3.0% 1 % are enrolled in “other”

Get no information 4.6%

21
What are the main information sources for
you?
Samtske-Javakheti

National TV station 75.8%

Armenian TV Channels 40.6%

Russian TV Channels 35.0%

Local TV station 19.8%

National printed media 7.6%


Respondents had a list of
possible responses as well
as the possibility of an open
answer
National printed media 3.6%
Comment: Respondents had
Internet on foreign more than one option of
language 1.2% responses, thus, the sum of
the responses exceeds
100%. Responses less than
other 1 % are enrolled in “other”
2.5%

22
 Why do you watch these channels?
Total

I’m receiving information,

to which I trust
39.3%

Receive complete
information
39.1%

Broadcasted in the
language accessible to 24.7%
me

Have no access to other

channels 20.7%

The programs on this

channel are interesting 1.3%

Respondents had the list of
possible responses as well as
the possibility of the open
answer

Comment: Respondents had

Other more than one option of
1.0% responses, thus, sum of the
responses exceed 100%
responses not exceeding
more than 1 % are enrolled
I do not watch TV 2.0% in “other”

23
Why do you watch these
channels?
Kvemo Kartli
Broadcasted in the
language accessible to 51.9%
me
I’m receiving
information, to which I 28.6%
trust

Have no access to other

channels 23.2%

Receive complete
information 20.9%

The programs on this

channel are interesting
2.7% 
Respondents had the list of
possible responses as well as
the possibility of the open
answer

Comment: Respondents had

Other 0.2% more than one option of
responses, thus, sum of the
responses exceed 100%
responses not exceeding more
I do not watch TV 6.7% than 1 % are enrolled in “other”

24
Why do you watch these
channels?
Samcke-Javakheti

Broadcasted in the
language accessible to 38.7%
me

Have no access to other

channels 31.1%

Receive complete
information 17.1%


I’m receiving Respondents had the list of
information, to which I 14.0% possible responses as well as
trust the possibility of the open
answer

The programs on this Comment: Respondents had

channel are interesting 1.6% more than one option of
responses, thus, sum of the
responses exceed 100%
responses not exceeding
more than 1 % are enrolled in
I do not watch TV 0.7% “other”

25
Which problems occur
on your local level
Total

Unemployment 87.8%

Social conditions 43.6%

Roads 37.6%

Youth problems 25.7%

Narcotics


21.6%

Respondents had a
Undeveloped infrastructure 20.9% list of possible
responses as well as
Crime the possibility of an
12.5%
open answer
Education 9.8%
Comment: Respondents had
more than one option of
responses, thus, the sum of
Have no water supply 2.2% the responses
exceeds 100%. Responses
Utilities (No gas suppply) 1.0% less than 1 % are enrolled in
“other”
Other
4.9%

Can not answer 0.6% 26

Which problems occur
on your local level
Kvemo Kartli
Unemployment 95.8%

Social conditions 71.1%

Damaged roads 55.6%

Youth problems 43.2%

Undeveloped infrastructure 31.3%

Education 13.4%

Crime

Narcotics 5.0%
13.0% 
Respondents had a list of
possible responses as well
as the possibility of an open
answer

Lack of transport Comment: Respondents

3.0% had more than one
option of responses,
Land problem 2.6% thus, the sum of the
responses
Other 2.6% exceeds 100%.
Responses less than 1
% are enrolled in “other”
Can not answer 1.5%
27
 Which problems occur
on your local level
Samtskhe-Javakheti

Unemployment 76.8%
Damaged roads 27.7%
Social conditions 24.6%
Have no water supply 19.5%
Undeveloped infrastructure 12.4%
Youth problems 10.9%
Education 6.8%
Have school 3.7%
NO stadium for children
Russian visa related problems
Lack of fuel
3.5%
2.4%
2.1%

Respondents had a list of
possible responses as well
as the possibility of an
open answer
Lack of transport 1.9% Comment: Respondents had
Have no entertainment centres, clubs 1.8% more than one option of
Have no nursery school 1.8% responses, thus, the sum of
the responses exceeds 100%.
Have no hospital, polyclinic 1.7% Responses less than 1 % are
Narcotics 1.6% enrolled in “other”
Have no gyms 1.2%
Have no electricity 1.0%
Other 4.9%
Can not answer 28
0.6%
How typical are these problems
for other regions of Georgia?

Total Kvemo Kartli Samckhe-Javakheti

70.1%

Typical 78.6%

30.1%

23.8%

Mainly typical 17.2%

34.6%

3.3%

Atypical 0.7%

26.1%

2.8%

Can not answer 3.5%

9.1%
29
Findings
Identified Problems

4. under-representation of
national minorities in almost all
spheres of public life
5. The vast lack of awareness
about national minority rights

30
Are you acquainted with the
legislation of Georgia on
minority rights?

Total Kvemo Kartli Samckhe-Javakheti

3.8%
Well
4.5%
5.5%

31.7%
Superficially 15.8%

26.2%

59.1%
Completely NOT 77.7%
57.3%

5.4%
Cannot Answer 2.0%

11.0% 31
Are you aware about the any
governmental agency
authorized to protect
the minority rights?
Total Kvemo Kartli Samckhe-Javakheti

8.1%

Yes
1.2%

9.5%

91.9%

No 98.8%

90.5%

32
Findings
Identified Problems

6. and stereotypes isolate the minorities,

especially in areas where they represent
the largest share of population
7. The legal framework still contains some
gaps which leave room to abuse that
may open a way to violation of rights.
8. Until recently, some parallel systems for
minorities inherited from the soviet era
– such as the parallel minority-language
schools - were part of the problem, not
of the solution

33
Findings
Identified Problems

9. National minorities tend to feel

acutely any perceived threat of
assimilation – this might be the case
concerning the learning of the state
language, whereas there is no visible
attempt by the government to renege
on previously given guarantees,
especially regarding preservation of
the minority language and culture

34
 Interesting Findings
In which language do you have to communicate with the representatives
of local government institutions and officials (in written form)

Total Kvemo Kartli Samckhe-Javakheti

91.2%
State language
67.0%
(Georgian)
66.9%
3.1%
Russian language 15.4%
11.8%
1.3%
Azerbaijani language 8.5%

1.0%
Armenian language 1.0%
20.7%
0.1%
Any language

Had no written 2.3%

7.5%
application
0.6%

1.0%
N/R 0.7%
35
0.0%
 Interesting Findings
In which language do you have to communicate with the representatives
of local government institutions and officials (orally)
Total Kvemo Kartli Samckhe-Javakheti

89.6%
State language
47.9%
(Georgian)
51.8%
3.3%
Russian language 15.5%
18.4%
3.3%
Azerbaijani language 26.6%

1.6%
Armenian language 2.7%
29.5%
0.1%
Any language

1.9%
Have no relatinos 6.6%
0.2%

0.2%
N/R 0.7% 36
 Interesting Findings
Please, evaluate your trust towards the judicial system
Average on a 4 point scale 1 completely do not trust, 4 completely trust

Total Kvemo Kartli Samckhe-Javakheti

2.8 2.9

2.5

Can not answer

Percentage 14.6% 18.0% 47.6%
from the
interviewed

37
 Interesting Findings
Please, evaluate your trust towards the police
Average on a 4 point scale 1 completely do not trust, 4 completely trust

Total Kvemo Kartli Samckhe-Javakheti

2.9 3
2.8

Can not answer

Percentage 10.6% 15.9% 27.6%
from the
interviewed

38
 Interesting Findings
Please, evaluate your trust towards the prosecutor’s office
Average on a 4 point scale 1 completely do not trust, 4 completely trust

Total Kvemo Kartli Samckhe-Javakheti

2.8 2.9

2.6

Can not answer

Percentage 16.2% 21.1% 34.4%
from the
interviewed

39
Steps to be taken in future

• Need to have a genuine, inclusive debate about

protection and integration of national minorities, so that
the state institutions, political elite and minorities
themselves identify and clarify their positions and
formulate a comprehensive, mature policy based on
consensus on basic concepts and issues.

• This process will take the establishment of an effective

consultative mechanism that goes beyond the current
role of specialized agencies for minority issues. The need
to pass from scattered laws and policies to a
comprehensible, implementable framework indeed
proves pressing in view of the risk of further isolation.
40
Steps to be taken in future

• Such measures should alleviate the negative side-effects

of long-term policies, for instance in access to higher
education and public service.

• It will also need to reaffirm protection against

discrimination and preservation of cultural diversity.

• Finally, it will be crucial to accompany reforms by a

strong information strategy establishing solid basic
understanding of minority issues and explaining the core
measures to both the majority and national minorities.

41
NATIONAL
INTEGRATION AND
TOLERANCE IN
GEORGIA

Assessment Survey Report

National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia Program

United Nations Association of Georgia
United States Agency for International Development 42