Needstrat: Georgians vote for independence 1991

The Parliament of the Soviet republic of Georgia decided to hold an independence referendum on 31 March 1991. In the referendum 98.9% of people voted yes to independence. And on 9 April the Georgia’s Supreme Soviet declared independence and elected Zviad Gamsakhurdia president. It was the first time the country became independent since 1921 when Stalin installed a Soviet regime. Georgia has a strategic location between Russia, Turkey and Iran.

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Georgia's first President Gamsakhurdia.

But the years of independence have been tumultuous. Gamsakhurdia’s policies triggered a civil war, and a coup ousted him the next year. Former Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze became President. The republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia then tried to break their ties with Georgia and declared independence in 1992-93. Russia supported the break-away, but most countries have refused it. A new Constitution in 1995 gave the president strong powers, but later Shevardnadze was accused of corruption and election fraud.

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Map of Georgia with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are de facto independent at the moment.

Shevardnadze lost his position in the 2003 Rose Revolution led by Mikhail Saakashvili. He won the presidency on a campaign of anti-corruption, and was actively pursuing corruption, but of his political opponents and not his own supporters. Saakashvili sent Georgian forces into South Ossetia in August 2008 to take control of the whole territory. Fighting erupted and Russia quickly responded by invading and occupying the republic and Abkhazia. Russian forces have stayed there since.

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March during the Georgian Rose Revolution in the capital Tbilisi 2003.

Georgia is seeking closer relations with Europe and in 2013 signed an Associaction agreement with the European Union. The same agreement brought much controversy in Ukraine the last few months. Georgia is also actively co-operating with NATO, and aspiring to become a member. This is worrying the Russians who see the Caucasus region as an anchor they want neutral or controlled to be safe on their southern flank.