EXTRACT FROM THE MINUTES OF THE SESSION OF THE PEOPLE’S COUNCIL OF ABKHAZIA – discussion with regard of introducing Georgian language at schools.

18 November 1919

V. Anchabadze . . . I know very well that the knowledge of state language is vital important for the public law. We all agreed that Abkhazia was a part of Georgia as it was declared on 20 March, but they don’t want to make a logical conclusion that learning of Georgian language proceeds from this fact. Some of deputies meet this issue with certain irritation. We all know that Abkhazia is international country but comprehensive application of Georgian language shall be met with a due understanding. This issue has its practical meaning. We are teaching Russian, German and other languages – why?, because it’s good to know the language of your neighbors from the point of cultural and economic interests. No one objects to learning of German. What language shall we learn, if not Georgian? This is a language of neighboring nation we linked our destiny with. When you are against this language, you just don’t understand the principles of the public law. When you support the application of this language, you understand necessity of its application at our schools. The state language shall be taught – this is axiomatic.

I. Pashalidi. . . I didn’t want to speak about this issue but the deputy Marghania said that I also spoke Georgian. If he mentioned the Greek language, I could understand him, but here we have discussion about Georgian language. None of languages shall be compulsory in the democratic society. I first heard this vision from deputy Marghania. Maybe they are teaching Georgian in a covert manner. Commissariat could introduce Georgian instead of Russian, but it would be the violation of agreement. Not teaching, the learning is the issue. Such request has no ground. The teaching is in Russian, Georgian is a state language – this is evident. It’s crystal clear that introduction of a state language is the absolute necessity. Why is the Commissariat guilty? You say – the Decree wasn’t introduced to the People’s Council of Abkhazia. Where do you see the violation of Council’s rights? If the future generations have a good command in Georgian, is that a violation? if we spoke about Chinese language (laughing) I hope you had no questions.

Lortkipanidze (Commissar of Public Education). I think that there is some misunderstanding. It is not enough to say – I’m not against in general. There is a French proverb: “the tune creates the music”. Let me reiterate - there is no imposition at all. You insisted to introduce Georgian and now you claim why we did a good job without you. This is a formal side of this issue. I say again that Georgian is not a foreign language in Abkhazia. I’ve mentioned already that 1/3 of the population considers Georgian as a native language. First time I hear that Mengrelians are not Georgian. Even these local Mengrelians and Abkhazs consider Georgian as the native language and use it as a language of instruction at the primary schools. What did we do? I’ve already mentioned that it is necessary to introduce Georgian language at the high schools and after third year at gymnasium if we would like to establish the schools of a new type. If we had done it without you, you would have been right. It was said that we had violated some agreement. The agreement is about teaching and paper-work language. So far Russian is this language. If we had introduced Georgian as a language of instruction, your question would have had the ground… If you find necessary the learning of Georgia, you have to prove it. I say again – it’s not the imposition of learning of a foreign language, it’s the issue of learning of a state language. You have to agree that we were right.

Chairman. Please put forward your proposals.

I. Pashalidi. On behalf of the Faction of Social Democrats I would like to propose the Resolution. Having heard the explanation by the Commissar of Education on introduction of Georgian language, the Abkhaz People’s Council finds this explanation satisfactory and starts discussing the next issue.

Chairman: there are no other proposals.

Tarnava (special group). I admit that it’s necessary to introduce Georgian as a language of instruction at schools in Abkhazia, but at the same time the Abkhaz People’s Council expresses its protest to the arbitrary decision adopted by the Commissariat and refrains from sanctioning this law.

The voting was in favour of the first proposal.

(Jemal Gamakharia, Badri Gogia, Abkhazia-Historical Region of Georgia. Tbilisi, 1997, p. 454-456/in Russian)