On 21 February, Georgia marked the centennial of the first Georgian Constitution, adopted by the Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1921, four days before Tbilisi fell to the Soviet Russian occupation army.
Speaking on the occasion, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili underscored that the first Constitution was, at that time, “one of the most progressive” legal documents in Europe as it guaranteed universal suffrage, the abolition of the death penalty, fully proportional parliamentary elections, balanced governance, and free development of ethnic minorities, among others.
For his part, Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze highlighted that the current Constitution is based on the “historical and legal legacy” of the 1921 version. He said the Constituent Assembly of the First Republic in 1921 adopted the “progressive legal document” amid Soviet invasion and under “artillery fire.”
Georgian Orthodox Church Patriarch Ilia II added that the 1921 Constitution, “a greatly significant legal document,” served as the “idea” of Georgia’s national liberation during the subsequent Soviet occupation.
The 1921 Constitution, reflecting Georgia’s egalitarian spirit of that era, guaranteed equal social, political, economic, and civic rights for women and ethnic minorities, and ensured the rights of conscience, including freedom of assembly, religion, press, petition, and trade unions. The Constitution separated the state and the church, and banned state funding and preferential treatment to any of the religious groupings.
Importantly, the Constitution declared labor as the foundation of the Republic, guaranteeing labor safety, minimum wage, maternity leave, maximum weekly work hours, and prohibited the employment of children under 16. The first Georgian Constitution preserved ethnic minorities’ right to education in their native languages, allowed minority MPs to deliver parliamentary addresses in their native language, as well as banned titles and corporal punishment.
In the words of Hans-Dietrich Genscher, the former Federal Foreign Affairs Minister of Germany: “At that time the 1921 Georgian Constitution already advocated such values as liberty, democracy and rule of law, which modern Europe is based on currently.” Speaking in the same vein, Ramsey McDonald, a prominent British politician, later twice Prime Minister of Great Britain, while speaking about the achievements of Democratic Republic of Georgia in the letter published in the magazine ‘Nation’ after his visit to Georgia, stated: “I familiarized myself with its constitution, its social and economic reconstruction and what I saw there, I wish I could see in my country too.”
To mark the date, the Georgian Parliament held a ceremonial session, attended by the President, Premier-designate Irakli Garibashvili and his ministerial picks, the Georgian Orthodox Church representatives, foreign diplomats, and lawmakers.
President Zurabishvili, Speaker Talakvadze, ruling Georgian Dream party Chair Irakli Kobakhidze, and PM-designate Garibashvili spoke at the celebratory session.
Georgian ambassador expects
increase in tourists and business
Ambassador of Georgia H.E. Konstantin Zhgenti recently held a meeting with The Times Kuwait Managing Editor Reaven D’Souza.
During the discussion, the ambassador briefed Mr. D’Souza about the 30th anniversary of the restoration of Georgia’s independence, and the 100th year anniversary of the country’s Constitution. Their conversation touched upon the current situation in Georgia and issues pertaining to Georgia’s domestic and foreign policy as well as the situation in the occupied territories, and the path of Georgia to join the Euro-Atlantic Union.
Ambassador Zhgenti also touched upon the issues of development between Georgia and Kuwait in the spheres of political, economic and social-cultural relations between the two countries.
Ambassador further elaborated that after opening direct flights between Kuwait and Tbilisi (the Capital City of Georgia) two years ago, more than 30 000 tourists visited Georgia from Kuwait and he hoped that during post-pandemic period the number would increase further.
Ambassador also expressed his desire for more development of not only touristic, but trade and business relations between Kuwait and Georgia. He underlined that special and excellent investment possibilities in Georgia would attract more Kuwait companies and the members of business community.
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