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THE GEORGIAN TIMES: IS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THE ONLY WAY OUT FOR GEORGIA?
“In the countries like Georgia, where the charismatic leader plays the giant role the preferred form of governance should be presidential” - Levan Tsutskiridze, the rector of Georgian Institute of Public Affairs
The latest turn of events has inspired questions about Georgia’s 17-year history with a presidential system. While the opposition-minded Republican Party insists on a semi-presidential model, New Rights, the Conservative Party, the Labor party, Georgia’s Way, Freedom, and others hail the idea of a constitutional monarchy, an idea proposed by Illia II, Georgia’s Orthodox Patriarch during a Sunday sermon.
In his sermon on October 7, Illia II stated, “today’s conditions might help make the restoration of the Georgian royal dynasty of Bagrationi possible – the dream of the Georgian people may come true.”
“A king is a guarantee of the integrity of the country and the protection of each citizen. Some people doubt a constitutional monarchy. I will say what it means: a king reigns, he does not rule,” explained the Patriarch. However, he also made clear that changing the governmental system of a country is not an easy task and underlined the importance of Georgians’ choosing their own system of governance.
Most opposition parties say that introducing a constitutional monarchy is, “the only way-out for Georgia.”
“We, most opposition parties, believe that we should have a parliamentary form of government and its perfect form is in a constitutional monarchy,” MP Zviad Dzidziguri of the Conservative Party said on October 8.
Koka Guntsadze, lawyer and member of Okruashvili’s party, Movement for United Georgia voiced the same opinion: “We are launching a nation-wide campaign with the main slogan, ‘Georgia without a President’.”
Georgia was a monarchy in past centuries. The Bagrationi Dynasty ruled Georgia from the early 9th to 19th centuries. In 1801, Tsar Paul I of Russia signed a decree on the incorporation of Georgia within the Russian Empire, thus dethroning the last king of Kartl-Kakheti, Giorgi XII. “Since then it has been a dream of the Georgian people to have this dynasty restored,” said his holiness in his sermon.
Nino Burjanadze, Chairwoman of the Parliament of Georgia, has also commented, saying that the parliament is ready to discuss the topic even though she thinks Georgia will face more problems if people support the idea.
Those sharing Burjanadze’s view believe that a parliamentary model would split the country into pieces, because we do not have a long tradition of party life. For instance, Levan Tsutskiridze, the Rector of the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs comments that in countries like Georgia, where charismatic leaders play a giant role, the preferred form of governance is presidential.
Georgia has seen three presidents since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Zviad Gamsakhurdia, the first president of Georgia was overthrown by a military coup in 1992. The next president, Eduard Shevardnadze was ousted amid the Rose Revolution in 2003. Now as the opposition forces demand an early election and constitutional changes, their slogan, “Georgia without a President” pushes the questions about Saakashvili serving a second term in office.
Ordinary Georgians supporting the opposition’s appeals think one of the main reasons for the never-ending political crisis is the existing model of governance and agree with the demand for constitutional changes. “If Georgia restores monarchy it may help to resolve frozen conflicts as Abkhazians could not say that Bagrations were not the kings of the old Abkhazian state, as well as Ossetians- they could not deny their links with the Royal Bagrationi family,” said Lia, 34, as she explained another argument for having a king.
Georgian Times asked ethno physiologist Gaga Nizharadze to offer his opinion. Nizharadze said that the restoration of the monarchy is technically impossible due to several reasons including the number of candidates. Additionally, the criteria for selecting the king will lead to major disagreements, he said.
The question of who would assume the role of monarch is a matter for debate. Historian Svimon Maskharashvili said, “Today more than 30 thousand Georgians are candidates for the throne as they are all from the Bagrationi family, but have other surnames.” Historian Raul Chagunava, a longtime researcher of the Bagrationi family, believes that the crown right belongs to Nugzar Bagrationi-Gruzinski, the director of Tbilisi’s Tumanshivili Theater and a patrilineal descendant of Giorgi XII. Some see Italian aristocrat Lelio Orsini, the son of Ketevan Bagration-Orsini Konstantine’s daughter, as the most suitable candidate. But, the Spanish branch of the Bagrationi family must be considered as well.
In fact, the Patriarch’s sermon last Sunday is not something new for the regular perish to hear. His Holiness has always supported returning to a Monarchy seeing it as ‘historic justice’ and a means of reuniting Georgia. A statement issued by the Patriarch’s Office last week said that the Orthodox Church does not think the idea should be realized immediately and that candidates to the throne should have been brought up in Georgia- under Georgian traditions and customs. Yet, the opposition representatives grabbed the idea as something to implement at this very moment.
Prof. Davit Aprasidze of Ilia Chavchavadze State University noted that it is very interesting to look at which European models the opposition parties are offering. He is certain that if Georgia accepts a parliamentary model, it will further aggravate the political situation in Georgia since many marginal parties would take seats in the parliament. It may threaten to Georgia’s viability as a state,” he commented for GT.
President Saakashvili has commented on the idea of restoring the monarchy while on visit to the Scandinavian countries. “My grand granny was of Bagrationi family. This is said for those supporting the monarchy. Well, it will be good if we restore the monarchy in Georgia – then we can evade the parliamentary elections, he said adding, “kidding of cause.”
Apparently, discussions on the issue will continue.
Nino EDILASHVILI
“The Georgian Times”, October 15, 2007
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