The Idea of Joining the Gori and Tskhinvali Universities Was Turned Down

The representatives of the “Republic Party” Gori Office dedicated the recent press-conference to the integration of the Gori and Tskhinvali Universities. The residents of the Shida Kartli Region were concerned about the situation for the last time. The initiative about integration was proposed by the board of the Tskhinvali University. 

 However, the whole staff of the Gori State University vetoed the proposal. They set up a committee of twelve members. Six people out of them were from the Gori University and the other six were from the Tskhinvali University. Finally, as it was expected, those twelve members could not reach the agreement, because the question was voted for and against by similar number of voters.

 Members of the Republic Party Gori Office, Davit Razmadze, Lasha Ninoshvili and Shalva Tlashadze, held a press conference regarding the fact. Tlashadze said that any activities carried out in connection to the university should follow the law and serve the improvement of the educational level. 

Shalva Tlashadze: When two legal entities of public law are joining, both of them should agree on the fact. Since, Gori State University does not support the idea of reorganization of the universities we observe the legal opposition to the initiative. Rector and other board members have already been elected for the Gori State University and if the reorganization takes place, those people will have to be resigned.

Journalist: Mamuka Tsotniashvili, the rector for the Tskhinvali University, said that if the universities are integrated, the university will assist all board members to remain to their positions. Is this promise real?

Sh.T: Despite my deep respect to Mr. Mamuka, the personnel of the university will maintain their positions under the law without his support too. If integration succeeded, all elected staff lost their positions illegally, as the normative act of the elections would have been violated in this case.  Violation the normative act is breaching the law and is considered to be
a crime.
J: Maybe you will speak about your political opinion regarding the integration. I mean the IDP status of the Tskhinvali University…
Sh.T: We think, it is the second part of the processes that started in 2006. I mean the abolishment of all institutions that had been internally displaced from Tskhinvali. The Tskhinvali Youth Affairs Department, football team “Tskhinvali”, Tskhinvali theatre, the Tskhinvali newspapers and the Choreographic group from Tskhinvali were abolished. The Tskhinvali University is the only IDP organization that continued its existence up to now and abolishing it, they want to finish the process. We think it is unacceptable. The Tskhinvali University and all above-mentioned institutions must go on functioning. They assisted the regulation of the conflict.

According to the official information, the funds that were allocated to the abolished institutions were transferred to the rehabilitation of the villages in the Didi and Patara Liakhvi Gorges…

Despite the complicated situation, the respondents tried to joke. Lasha Ninoshvili recalled one fact: “During the soviet regime, composer Bidzina Kvernadze was asked the opinion about the joining of the Conservatoire and the Art Academy. Famous composer gave very good answer to them-in this case we will not understand whose painting brush is in whose piano.”

We hope similar curious will not happen in the case of joining the above-mentioned universities. If we return to Tskhinvali, the students will not have to run between Gori and Tskhinvali universities to attend the lectures.

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori