Maria Zakharova, the official spokesperson for the Russian MID (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), commented on the incident that occurred on June 6 in central Tbilisi during the celebration of Russian Language Day. According to her, the rally, which was accompanied by anti-Russian slogans and insults, was organized by a “handful of extremists.”
Zakharova stressed that she did not intend to dwell on the actions of the rally participants in order to avoid drawing additional attention to them. At the same time, she noted that Russian Language Day has not only Russian but also international significance and is celebrated annually in many countries around the world.
According to her, the event in Tbilisi followed a long-standing tradition: representatives of the intelligentsia, public figures, and staff of the Russian Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland laid flowers at the bust of Alexander Pushkin on Freedom Square. Following this, participants of various nationalities and generations read the poet’s works in Russian and other languages.
The representative of the Russian foreign ministry also noted that a similar event took place in Batumi, involving schoolchildren and teachers, and passed without any incidents.
In conclusion, the Russian MID spokesperson expressed hope that Georgian law enforcement agencies would provide a legal assessment of the incident and take appropriate measures against the rally participants. In her view, such actions primarily damage the organizers themselves and run counter to the cultural traditions of Georgian society.
As a reminder, on June 6, a protest against the celebration of Russian Language Day was held in Tbilisi. Its participants stated that celebrating June 6 in Georgia feels particularly painful against the backdrop of the multi-year policy of displacing the Georgian language in occupied Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.
The protesters recalled that in the Gali and Akhalgori districts, which are predominantly populated by Georgians, schooling in the Georgian language is banned. They also noted that no church services are held in Georgian in the occupied territories of Georgia, and local residents face language-based discrimination.