Congratulations on the first Georgian Constitution Day!
Congratulations on the first Georgian Constitution Day!
On behalf of the Constitutional Court of Georgia, I extend my congratulations on one of the most remarkable dates in the recent history of Georgia – the 105th anniversary of the adoption of the First Constitution of Georgia!
On February 21, 1921, the Constituent Assembly of Georgia adopted the first Constitution - the most significant legal and political act in the development of Georgian statehood.
The Constitution was drafted by Georgian lawyers and politicians without the involvement of foreign actors, which clearly attests to the maturity of national legal intellectualism in the process of constitutional self-determination.
Despite the fact that the first Constitution does not establish any model of constitutional review, it clearly enshrines the principle of the constitutional supremacy. This was shaped by the doctrine prevailing at that time - the concept of parliamentary supremacy - according to which the normative primacy of the Constitution was intended to exist without a mechanism of judicial review. This constitutional provision was described as a "sensational clause" by the eminent German Constitutional lawyer in one of his scholarly works.
The first Constitution played a pivotal role in the modern history of Georgia, serving as a fundamental value-oriented framework and a vital source of political legitimacy. It created a solid foundation for state consciousness and legal thought and, above all, for the development of constitutional culture.
In the period following the restoration of independence, the value-based and normative significance of the first Constitution of Georgia has been declared in all major legal acts. This was due to the fact that, in the context of its time, the text of the first Constitution was remarkably refined and deeply imbued with the ideas of the Enlightenment and Constitutionalism.
Here are clear and consistent examples. The Regulation of the Supreme Council of Georgia of November 14, 1990 concerning the Constitutional Commission explicitly stated that the future Constitution would be based upon Georgia’s first Constitution. The Act of Restoration of Independence of April 9, 1991 states that the first Constitution "still has legal force". The Preamble to the Law of the Republic of Georgia of November 6, 1992, "On the State Authority", explicitly declared that the future Constitution of Georgia would be based on the provisions of the Constitution of 1921. Shortly thereafter, by the Resolution of the Parliament of Georgia of February 16, 1993, the "State Constitutional Commission for Drafting a New Edition of the Constitution of 1921" was established, which by the Resolution of March 25, 1993 was tasked with submitting a concept for a new edition of the Constitution of 1921. According to the Regulation of March 25, 1993 regarding the Constitutional Commission, one of its principal tasks was defined as drafting a new edition of the Constitution of 1921, taking into account the historical development of Georgia.
The majority of constitutional drafts prepared by public and political organizations during the years 1993-1995 explicitly declared in their preambles that they were based on the fundamental provisions of the Constitution of 1921, particularly with regard to human rights. They submitted modified, new, or revised versions of the first Georgian Constitution in draft form.
In the end, the Constitution of 1921 and its principles found their highest expression in the Preamble to the Constitution of Georgia of August 24, 1995, thereby affirming that the modern Georgian state is the legal successor the First Republic of Georgia and its fundamental law - the Constitution.
The First Constitution of Georgia has become the common heritage of our society, being an integral part of our national culture!
Once again, let me extend my sincere congratulations on the Day of the First Constitution of Georgia!
Revaz Nadaraia
President of the Constitutional Court of Georgia
21 February, 2026
