Georgia celebrates 100th anniversary of establishment of first parliament
Five MPs females and 21 MPs were from ethnic minority groups in the first parliament of Georgia. Photo: National Archive of Georgia.
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One hundred years have passed since the creation of the Constituent Assembly of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia, which was the first parliament in the country.
The legislative body passed laws in between 1919-1921, until the invasion of the Red Army.
The first meeting of the 130-member assembly took place on that day 100 years ago, with six political parties, one independent MP, five female lawmakers and 21 legislators from ethnic minorities.
The Constituent Assembly managed to adopt hundreds of laws. Photo. National Archive of Georgia.
The Independence Act of Georgia, which was adopted on May 26, 1918 was confirmed on March 12, 1919 during the first meeting of the assembly.
The elections for the assembly kicked off on February 14, 1919 and continued for three days.
1,024,682 voters were allowed to vote in the elections, of which 618,677 showed up to vote. 616,150 ballot papers were considered valid.
- Most seats were occupied by the Georgian Social Democratic Labour Party- 102.
- The Georgian Socialist-Federalist party took 9 seats.
- The Georgian National Democrat Party- 8.
Eleven MPs had foreign university diplomas [not Russian]. Photo: National Archive of Georgia.
Out of the total 130 MPs 21 were journalists in profession and 20 teachers.
The constitution of Georgia, adopted by Georgia’s Constituent Assembly on February 21, 1921 reflected the democratic aspirations of the Democratic Republic of Georgia.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani tweeted.
Congrats on the centenary of the Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Republic of #Georgia. Georgian Parliamentarism @Geoparliament as a cornerstone of democracy started life????years ago,on 12 March,paving the way for modern Georgia embodying all the key principles of democracy pic.twitter.com/Wo0idebZR8
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) March 12, 2019
Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze stated earlier today that the day is of utmost historic significance.
Georgian parliamentarism was created on that day 100 years ago and that parliament left behind a significant inheritance. When we restored our independence 90 years later, our statehood was based on this inheritance,” Kobakhidze stated in Kashveti Church in central Tbilisi earlier today, where people gathered to honor members of the Constituent Assembly.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili tweeted:
100 years ago, the Constituent Assembly of Georgia came to life following the first free elections after Georgia's 1918 independence. It's an honor to wish @Geoparliament a happy anniversary in this historical celebration, one century after our republic's founders changed history pic.twitter.com/joqersX3l0
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) March 12, 2019
The Parliament of Georgia is scheduled to host various events todays to mark the date.
An exhibition at a headquarters of the largest regional security organisation in Europe is celebrating the history of Georgian women in the country’s First Democratic Republic a century ago.
Georgian Facebook users have been spending their social media time writing to some of the most significant historical figures from the country’s history, following an anniversary project that has spawned public profiles of early 20th century personalities.
At the beginning of the 1900's when Georgia tried to escape from the grips of the Russian Empire and establish itself as an independent republic based on democratic principles and values, local women were actively engaged in this process.
An exhibition celebrating female members of Georgia’s first independent Constituent Assembly is being held on Wednesday in the central Georgian town Gori.
A memorial plaque named after one of the first Georgian female MPs Kristine (Chito) Sharashidze (1887-1973) has been unveiled in her home village of Bakhvi, in the Guria region of Georgia.
The legacy of Karlo Chkheidze, one of the major historical figures of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia, has been honoured with a publication of a memorial album and an unveiling of a plaque in Tbilisi.