ACT of independence of Georgia

The Georgian National Council during its plenary sitting of May 26. 1918, declared as follows:

For several centuries Georgia existed as a free and independent State.

At the end eighteenth century Georgia voluntarily allied herself with Russia, with the stipulation that the latter should protect her from enemies without.

In the course of the great Russian revolution conditions arose which resulted in the disorganization of the entire military front and the abandonment of Transcaucasia by the Russian Army.

Thus, left to her own devices, Georgia, and with her all Transcaucasia, took into their hands the direction of their affairs creating the necessary organs for this purpose; but under pressure from exterior forces the links which united Transcaucasian nationalities were broken and the political unity of Transcaucasia was thus dissolved.

The present position of the Georgian people makes it imperatively necessary that Georgia should create a political organization of her own, in order that she may escape from the yoke of her enemies and lay a solid foundation for her free development.

Accordingly, the Georgian National Council, elected by the National Assembly of Georgia on November 22 (December), 1917, declares:

(1) In future the Georgian people will hold sovereign power and Georgia will be a State enjoying all the rights of a free and independent State.

(2) Independent Georgia’s form of political organization will be Democratic Republic.

(3) In the event of international conflict Georgia will always remain neutral.

(4) The Georgian Democratic Republic will apply itself to establishing friendly relations with all nations and especially with neighbouring nationalities and states.

(5) The Democratic Georgian republic offers to all inhabitants of her territory a wide field for free development.

(6) The Democratic Georgian Republic guarantees to all citizens within her territory civil and political rights, without distinction of nationality, religion, social position, or sex.

(7) Until the convocation of the constituent assembly, the National Council, with the addition of representatives of the minorities and the provisional government responsible to the National Council, is at the head of all Georgian administration.

(Democratic Republic of Georgia. 1919-1921.Three historic documents. Preface and compilation by G. Sharadze. Editor D. Djaparidze, Tbilisi, 1991, p. 109-133/in English)