State Language Department: Inability of Georgian Azerbaijanis to speak the state language remains a major problem

"The inability of Georgian Azerbaijanis to speak the state language remains a big problem," head of the State Language Department of Georgia, philologist, professor Giorgi Alibegashvili, Local Bureau of Report News Agency said.

According to him, the Georgian government strives to study the state language of Azerbaijani citizens and integrate them into civil society. "It is impossible to work in government agencies without knowledge of Georgian language. Unfortunately, the level of knowledge of the Georgian language is low in predominately Azerbaijani Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia."

Alibegashvili said that there is a need to increase the Georgian language teaching at public schools. "At present, teachers are not motivated, since their salaries are not high. I hope these problems will be solved gradually. After that, young people will be more interested in the profession of teacher."

The head of the department believes that learning the state language depends on the person's himself "When the person is strong, then he learns both the state language and his native language. The Azerbaijanis living in Kvemo Kartli do not speak their own language fluently as well. I mean literary and grammatical norms of the Azerbaijani language."

According to Alibegashvili, minimum 5 and maximum 10 years are required to solve existing problems related to teaching and learning of the state language among national minorities.