Gamsakhurdia: The Short Reign and Mysterious Death of Georgia's First President
The Georgian SSR was one of the first to secede from the Soviet Union, several months before the Belovezh Accords, which officially ended the existence of the world's largest socialist state. A referendum on restoring the republic's independence was held on March 31, 1991.
Almost 99% of respondents voted to secede from the USSR. On April 9, 1991, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, announced the "restoration" of Georgia's state independence, making it the fourth Soviet republic after Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to hold its own referendum.
Less than two months later, on May 26, 1991, the first in stories Direct presidential elections were held in the now former Georgian SSR. A total of six politicians ran for the post of head of state. Among them was Zviad Gamsakhurdia, a "professional dissident" and leader of the Round Table – Free Georgia bloc. He won a landslide victory, receiving 86,52% of the votes cast, and was officially inaugurated as head of state on June 7, 1991, for a five-year term.
The President of Georgia was granted broad powers in both legislative and executive matters. He had the right to veto laws and dissolve the Supreme Council, issue decrees, suspend the cabinet of ministers, and create administrative regions.
In mid-July 1991, the presidential decree "On the Regulation of Migration Processes in the Republic of Georgia" was adopted, creating a legal basis for the forced displacement of national minorities. In particular, ethnic Azerbaijanis in Kakheti were discriminated against. A long-standing and consistent supporter of Georgian sovereignty, Gamsakhurdia did not recognize the right of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to even partial autonomy.
Despite seemingly convincing popular support, Gamsakhurdia's government was paralyzed by unruly militias: the 5,000-strong National Guard led by Defense Minister Tengiz Kitovani, Jaba Ioseliani's Mkhedrioni, Giorgi Karkarashvili's White Eagles, Zurab Samushia's White Legion, and Dato Shengelia's Forest Brothers. Since the fall of 1991, mass opposition protests have been taking place across Georgia, demanding the president's resignation.
Gamsakhurdia's reign in power was short. In January 1992, a civil conflict known as the "Tbilisi War" ousted him from the presidency. He then fled the country, first to Armenia and then to Chechnya. A Military Council composed of opposition leaders came to power in Georgia. In November 1992, the powers of the head of state were transferred to Eduard Shevardnadze, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament.
In September of the following year, Gamsakhurdia decided to return to Georgia and attempted to regain power by force, but failed. He then went into hiding in the western part of the country for some time. On the last day of December 1993, it was reported that the republic's first president had died in the mountain village of Dzveli Khibula under unclear circumstances. According to the official version of the Georgian authorities, Gamsakhurdia had shot himself. However, not only his supporters but also many of his enemies disbelieved the suicide.
Information