EXTRACT FROM THE GAZETTE OF THE SESSION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA

10 October 1918

Heard:

The report by the Chairman on the situation in Abkhazia

Decided:

Taking into account the following facts: 1) the certain members of the People’s Council of Abkhazia, mostly the representatives of landowners betray the interests of the people of Abkhazia and of the residents of the whole of Sukhumi Okrug; they always tried to involve the foreign countries in the domestic affairs of Abkhazia in order to promote the interests of landowners. Before it was Turkey (Ottoman Empire), and now – Alekseevts. A few days ago, in order to provoke the political disorder, they surrounded the building of the People’s Council; 2) in such situation the Abkhaz People’s Council being under the threat of violent acts, failed to work on the benefit of the people and 3) generally the members of the Abkhaz People’s Council weren’t elected through the procedures that would have demonstrated the real interests of the population of Sukhumi Okrug

The Government Decided:

1. To dissolve the current composition of the People’s Council of Abkhazia, and hold the new elections on the basis of the universal electoral law;

2. To set up the Central Electoral Commission for holding the elections composed of Varlam Shervashidze, Isidor Ramishvili, Vasiliy Gurjua, doctor Pashalidi and George Shanshiev; the Commission is entitled to elect the chairman and co-opt the people they consider reasonable;

3) To appoint Veniamin Chkhikvishvili as a Commissar of the Sukhumi Okrug until the election of the new Abkhaz People’s Council and render him the whole power on the territory of Sukhumi Okrug; before appearance of Chkhikvishvili at his office the supreme military and civil power shall be exercised by the Head of Sukhumi Headquarters Tukhareli;

4) Due to the dissolving the Abkhaz People’s Council the authority of the Minister of Abkhaz Affairs colonel Chkhotua shall be terminated; the function of the interim representative on the Abkhaz Affairs will be carried out by the Minister of Internal Affairs;

5) The Central Electoral Commission shall protect the property of the Abkhaz People’s Council for transferring it to the new People’s Council.

Authentic with original – Gr. Robakidze (signed)

(Central State Historical Archive of Georgia, f. 1938, desc. 1, file 8, p. 18)