Constitution of the Abkhaz People’s Council, 8 November 1917
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 Union’s Central Committee.
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 Ѕ 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 8 November 1917, Sukhum
- Union of the North Caucasus Mountain Peoples and Daghestan (1917-1918). Mountain Republic (1918-1920). Documents and Materials. Makhachkala, 1994, p. 79-90/in Russian.