STATEMENT OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE ABKHAZ ASSR

On 29 January 1991 the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia adopted the law of the Republic of Georgia “On Local Governance in the Transition Period”.

Since the said law was aimed at substantial changing of the political system established by the Constitution of the Abkhaz ASSR currently in force, the leaders of the Abkhaz ASSR and the Republic of Georgia reached the agreement that this law would not be valid on the territory of Abkhazia until is would have been discussed by the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR.

In compliance with this agreement on 7 February 1991 the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR adopted the Resolution on the Necessity of Adoption at the Session of the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR the law on the Elections of the People’s Deputies of the Local Councils.

On 11 February 1991, despite the aforementioned fact, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia appointed Edisher K. Janjulia as a Prefect of Gali District of the Abkhaz ASSR, thus violating article 1.66 and 120 of the Constitution of the Abkhaz ASSR.  Such position is not established by the Constitution of the Abkhaz ASSR.  At the same time Rabo D. Shonia was dismissed from the position of Chairman of the Council of People’s Deputies of Gali District.

It is notable that the Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia was adopted in violation of the Law on the Local Governance in the Transition Period.  Under the said law the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia shall have the authority to appoint the prefect at the autonomous republic only after having agreed this issue with the councils of ministers of the republic of Georgia and of the autonomous republic, and upon submission by the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR.  The decision on appointment of the Prefect of Gali District was made without prior consent of the Presidium of the Supreme Council and the Council of Ministers of the Abkhaz ASSR.

Such decision may be assessed as the first step towards the abolishment of the Constitutional structures of Abkhazia and violation of its territorial integrity, as the appointment to the position, which is not established under the Constitution of Abkhazia, is an attempt to withdraw the Gali District from subordination of the supreme authorities of the Abkhaz ASSR.

If retained in effect the said decision may crush the efforts made for achieving the peace and harmony in the autonomous republic.

In order to prevent from the destabilization of the situation and from the inter-ethnic confrontation in the republic, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR asks to the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia to show the political wisdom and abolish its decision on dismissing the chairman of the executive committee of People’s Deputies of Gali District and on appointing the Prefect of the Gali District.

Chairman of the Supreme council of the Abkhaz ASSR V. Ardzinba

Sukhumi, 7 February 1991

(Conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  Documents 1989-2006 (Supplement to “Kavkazskie Sborniki”, edition #1). Collected and commented by M. A. Volkhonski, B. A. Zakharov, N. Y. Silaev. – Moscow, 2008, p. 254-255/in Russian)