Jumber Patiashvili
Encyclopedia
Jumber Patiashvili (born January 5, 1940) is a Georgian
politician. A current member of parliament
, he was the Communist leader of the Georgian SSR from 1985 to 1989.
Born in Lagodekhi
, Kakheti
(eastern Georgia), he graduated from Tbilisi Agricultural Institute. From 1966, he worked for Komsomol
and subsequently from Communist Party. Patiashvili, a nondescript party loyalist, succeeded Eduard Shevardnadze
as the First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party
in 1985. Under Patiashvili, most of Shevardnadze's initiatives atrophied, and no new policy innovations were undertaken. Patiashvili removed some of Shevardnadze's key appointees, although he could not dismiss his predecessor's many middle-echelon appointees without seriously damaging the party apparatus. By isolating opposition groups, Patiashvili forced reformist leaders into underground organizations and confrontational behavior. By the end of 1988, Georgian
national movement became more active, several manifestations and hunger strikes were organized by the so called informal political organizations. The protesters were brutally dispersed by the Soviet troops on April 9, 1989. Following the April 9 Massacre
, the Georgian national liberation movement radicalized and left little chance to a local communist leadership to control the situation in the Republic. Patiashvili was removed from his office and replaced by the former KGB
chief Givi Gumbaridze the same month.
He was elected MP in the Georgian
parliament of 1992-1995. Patiashvili returned to the national politics prior to the 1999 parliamentary elections. He organized an oppositional Unity (ertoba in Georgian
) party joining the oppositional bloc united behind the Democratic Revival Party led by Aslan Abashidze
, regional leader of Ajaria, and was elected in the Parliament of Georgia
. Later, he distanced himself from Abashidze, remaining, however, in opposition to Eduard Shevardnadze
’s government. His party took part in the oppositionist demonstrations which led to the Rose Revolution
in November 2003. He was elected MP for Gori
district in 2004.
He is running in the May 2008 Parliamentary election
from the Gori
constituency on the Rightist Alliance–Topadze-Industrialists bloc ticket.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
politician. A current member of parliament
Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia is the supreme legislature of Georgia. It is unicameral and has 150 members, known as deputies, from which 75 members are proportional representatives and 75 are elected through single-member district plurality system, representing their constituencies...
, he was the Communist leader of the Georgian SSR from 1985 to 1989.
Born in Lagodekhi
Lagodekhi
Lagodekhi is a small town and district in the Kakheti region of eastern Georgia. There is a border crossing there leading to Azerbaijan's Balakan Province.Lagodekhi Nature Reserve, established in 1911, is situated in this area.-External links:***...
, Kakheti
Kakheti
Kakheti is a historical province in Eastern Georgia inhabited by Kakhetians who speak a local dialect of Georgian. It is bordered by the small mountainous province of Tusheti and the Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north, Russian Federation to the Northeast, Azerbaijan to the Southeast, and...
(eastern Georgia), he graduated from Tbilisi Agricultural Institute. From 1966, he worked for Komsomol
Komsomol
The Communist Union of Youth , usually known as Komsomol , was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of...
and subsequently from Communist Party. Patiashvili, a nondescript party loyalist, succeeded Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
as the First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
in 1985. Under Patiashvili, most of Shevardnadze's initiatives atrophied, and no new policy innovations were undertaken. Patiashvili removed some of Shevardnadze's key appointees, although he could not dismiss his predecessor's many middle-echelon appointees without seriously damaging the party apparatus. By isolating opposition groups, Patiashvili forced reformist leaders into underground organizations and confrontational behavior. By the end of 1988, Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
national movement became more active, several manifestations and hunger strikes were organized by the so called informal political organizations. The protesters were brutally dispersed by the Soviet troops on April 9, 1989. Following the April 9 Massacre
April 9, 1989 Massacre
The April 9 tragedy refers to the events in Tbilisi, Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, on April 9, 1989, when an anti-Soviet demonstration was dispersed by the Soviet Army, resulting in 20 deaths and hundreds of injuries...
, the Georgian national liberation movement radicalized and left little chance to a local communist leadership to control the situation in the Republic. Patiashvili was removed from his office and replaced by the former KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
chief Givi Gumbaridze the same month.
He was elected MP in the Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
parliament of 1992-1995. Patiashvili returned to the national politics prior to the 1999 parliamentary elections. He organized an oppositional Unity (ertoba in Georgian
Georgian language
Georgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
) party joining the oppositional bloc united behind the Democratic Revival Party led by Aslan Abashidze
Aslan Abashidze
Aslan Abashidze was the leader of the Ajarian Autonomous Republic in western Georgia from 1991 to May 5, 2004. He resigned under the pressure of the central Georgian government and mass opposition rallies during the 2004 Adjara crisis, and has since lived in Moscow, Russia...
, regional leader of Ajaria, and was elected in the Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia is the supreme legislature of Georgia. It is unicameral and has 150 members, known as deputies, from which 75 members are proportional representatives and 75 are elected through single-member district plurality system, representing their constituencies...
. Later, he distanced himself from Abashidze, remaining, however, in opposition to Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
’s government. His party took part in the oppositionist demonstrations which led to the Rose Revolution
Rose Revolution
The "Revolution of Roses" was a change of power in Georgia in November 2003, which took place after having widespread protests over the disputed parliamentary elections...
in November 2003. He was elected MP for Gori
Gori, Georgia
Gori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora , that is, "heap", or "hill"...
district in 2004.
He is running in the May 2008 Parliamentary election
Georgian legislative election, 2008
Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on May 21, 2008. President Mikheil Saakashvili proposed a referendum on bringing them forward from October to April after the 2007 Georgian demonstrations...
from the Gori
Gori, Georgia
Gori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora , that is, "heap", or "hill"...
constituency on the Rightist Alliance–Topadze-Industrialists bloc ticket.