Georgian authorities to commemorate victims of Circassians' genocide

The Parliament of Georgia has instructed the Government to develop an action plan on opening a country's Circassian Cultural Centre and a memorial of victims of genocide against the Circassian nation.

"Recognition of the Circassians' genocide and erection of a memorial to its victims are manifestations of the Caucasian solidarity and a humanitarian act," said Guram Chakhvadze, a representative of the parliamentary faction "Strong Georgia" and continued: "All the problems associated with the Circassians' genocide are very painful for us, Georgians."

The oppositional MP Dzhondi Bagaturiya, who abstained at voting, believes that the supreme legislative body took a hasty and irrational decision. "We may have difficulties in explaining to European Community the reason of why the Parliament has raised the issue of Circassians' genocide, which was committed two hundred years ago, but it failed to raise the issue of ethnic cleansings of Georgians in Abkhazia 20 years ago," he said.

Manana Nachkebiya, a representative of the non-parliamentary party "The New Right-Wingers" believes that by immortalizing the memory of Circassians Georgia provokes Moscow. "Making the decision to recognize the genocide, Georgia intentionally annoys Russia; however, it is not acceptable given the current strained Georgian-Russian relations. By doing so, the authorities bring the situation into an even greater deadlock," she said.