CONSTITUTION OF THE
ABKHAZ PEOPLE’S COUNCIL
8 November 1917
§
1. The Abkhaz People’s Council is the
national-political organization, which unites the Abkhaz people.
§ 2. The
Abkhaz People’s Council is the representative, and the demonstrator of the will
of Abkhaz people in relations with the governing and administrative bodies and
public-political organizations.
§ 3. The Abkhaz People’s Council, first of all,
is responsible before the Abkhaz people through the General Congress.
§ 4. The
goals of the People’s Council of Abkhazia:
a) to protect and
strengthen the achievements of the Revolution; political education and
mobilization of the people; to fight against anarchy and counter-revolution;
b) to protect the
national and cultural-economic interests and political rights of the Abkhaz
people;
c) to prepare the
ground for self-determination of the Abkhaz people;
d) to support and
foster the relations of Abkhaz people with the Union of the Caucasus Mountain
Peoples (doc. # 210-edit.) and implement the political mottoes, decisions and
arrangements endorsed by the
e) to work on current
issues those require the manifestation of the will of the Abkhaz people.
§ 5. The Okrug
Committee, commissars and other administrative bodies, as well as the
individuals retain the previous function of management, but the activity of all
administrative and other agencies and individuals, as such activity is relating
to Abkhazia, - shall be carried out in the context of the The
Abkhaz People’s Council in order to achieve the tangible results.
§ 6. The
The Abkhaz People’s Council recognizes the power and
competence of the relevant administrative and public-political organizations,
as these organizations safeguard the principles of democracy and
self-determination of the nations.
§ 7. In
order to protect the interests of national minorities, the issues relating to
the interests of other ethnics of Sukhumi Okrug shall be decided either by the Okrug
Committee, or by the General Congress of the Okrug or
the Assembly of the interested side.
§ 8. The
Abkhaz People’s Council has its representatives in the Okrug
Committee and, if necessary, in other administrative and public-political
organizations.
§ 9. The
People’s Council shall implement the Resolutions adopted by the Congress of the
Abkhaz People.
§ 10. People’s Council shall submit the Report
on its activity to the General Congress of the Abkhaz People.
Note: However, on current and urgent issues the
People’s Council shall take initiative to deliver the report to the Congress on
its activity and these issues.
§ 11. The Council has the right to co-optation,
but the members appointed under the co-optation rule have only deliberative
vote until they are approved by the General Congress.
§ 12.
The Council nominates the Presidium from its composition: chairman,
secretary and treasurer; the Presidium shall be approved by the General
Congress.
§ 13. If
necessary, the Council shall set up the sections from its composition on
different special fields: e.g. school, religious, financial, land-management
and other issues.
Note: The Council may involve the persons
outside of its composition in the work of sections.
§ 14.
The quorum is ˝
of the total number of the members of the Council (including the Chairman) and
the decisions are adopted by the simple majority of votes.
Note: If the votes are divided in equal parts,
the vote of the Chairman gives the preponderance to the corresponding side.
§ 15.
The detailed Regulations and a charter of internal procedures shall be
elaborated by the Council following the general directions determined in the
Declaration and the Constitution adopted by the Congress.
§ 16.
Each individual member and the People’s Council in whole take
responsibility to observe in their activity the Constitution and this
Declaration.
Chairman of the Congress Simon Basaria
Secretaries: Tsaguria,
Alania and Tarnava
Speaker: Sheripov
Adopted on
(Union of the