ACT on the autonomy of Abkhazia

20 March 1919

The First People’s Council of Abkhazia, elected through general, direct, equal and secret ballot voting, at its first session on 20 March 1919, on behalf of the peoples of Abkhazia decrees:

1. Abkhazia enters into the Democratic Republic of Georgia as its autonomous entity; this decision shall be communicated to the Government of the Republic of Georgia and its Constituent Assembly.

II. The mixed Commission set up on the principle of equal footing is elected from the Constituent Assembly of Georgia and the Abkhaz People’s Council with the aim to elaborate the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia and determine the relation between the Central and Autonomous government. The elaborated proposals, after adopting at the Constituent Assembly of Georgia and the Abkhaz People’s Council shall be included in the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

Secretary: G. Koroliev.

20 March 1920

Authentic with original: Head of Chancellery of the Abkhaz People’s Council (signed)

27 October 1920

Authentic with copy:

Original is signed: Chairman of the Abkhaz People’s Council (signed)

27 October 1920 – authentic with copy.

(Avtandil Menteshashvili, Historical Precondition of the Current Separatism in Georgia. Tb. 1998, p. 78/in Russian; Central State Historical Archive of Georgia, f. 1833, desc. 1, file 863, p. 44)