Otar Patsatsia
Encyclopedia
Otar Patsatsia (born May 15, 1929) is a Georgian
politician who served as the country's Prime Minister
from August 20, 1993 to October 5, 1995.
A former Communist
bureaucrat and enterprise manager, Patsatsia led the Georgian cabinet
, with Eduard Shevardnadze
as Georgia's Head of State, during the years of civil strife
and economic crisis. His appointment as Prime Minister was an attempt to placate the supporters of President
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
, militarily ousted in 1992, as Patsatsia was from Zugdidi
, the powerbase of Gamsakhurdia loyalists. After holding a seat in the Parliament of Georgia
from 1995 to 1999, he has played no role in politics since then.
as an engineer, he became a Communist party functionary in Zugdidi, serving as the First Secretary of the local Communist Party Committee from 1955 until being sacked in 1965. In 1966 he became a Director of the Zugdidi Paper Factory, a large enterprise, which he led for nearly 25 years until 1990. In the last years of the Soviet Union
, he was elected a Soviet People's Deputy
from 1989 to 1990 and awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labour.
administration. Zugdidi was the principal powerbase of the Gamsakhurdia loyalists – the "Zviadists
" – who continued their resistance, frequently with arms in hands, to the new regime and its undisciplined paramilitary groups. Shevardnadze's promotion of Patsatsia, a Zugdidi native with extensive ties with the local community, was an attempt to appease Gamsakhurdia's supporters.
After the collapse of the government of Tengiz Sigua
on August 5, 1993, Shevardnadze nominated Patsatsia as a new prime minister. He won approval in the parliament on August 20, 1993. He retained his post in the September 7, 1993 reshuffle of the cabinet. The two years of Patsatsia's tenure was marked by increasingly chaotic political environment, violent power struggles, military setback in the secessionist war in Abkhazia
, a full-scale civil war with the pro-Gamsakhurdia forces, and severe economic crisis, followed by controversial economical and military agreements with Russia
. He was no reformer and had a conservative view of economic development, for example, privatization. Patsatsia resigned on October 5, 1995, to stand for the parliamentary election, in which he ran as a non-party candidate from Zugdidi and won a majoritarian seat for the next four years.
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 who served as the country's Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Georgia
The Prime Minister of Georgia is the most senior minister within the Cabinet of Georgia, appointed by the President of Georgia. The official title of the Head of the Government of Georgia has varied throughout history, however, the duties and functions of the leader have changed only marginally....
from August 20, 1993 to October 5, 1995.
A former Communist
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
bureaucrat and enterprise manager, Patsatsia led the Georgian cabinet
Cabinet of Georgia
The Cabinet of Georgia is an executive council of government ministers in Georgia. It is headed by the Prime Minister of Georgia. In the cases of utmost importance, the meetings may be led by the President of Georgia . The first Cabinet of Georgia was formed by Noe Zhordania in the Democratic...
, with 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 Georgia's Head of State, during the years of civil strife
Georgian Civil War
The Georgian Civil War consisted of inter-ethnic and intranational conflicts in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia , as well as the violent military coup d'etat of December 21, 1991 - January 6, 1992 against the first democratically elected President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia and his...
and economic crisis. His appointment as Prime Minister was an attempt to placate the supporters of President
President of Georgia
The President of Georgia is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Government of Georgia. Executive power is split between the President and the Prime Minister, who is the head of government...
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era...
, militarily ousted in 1992, as Patsatsia was from Zugdidi
Zugdidi
Zugdidi is a city in the Western Georgian historical province of Samegrelo . It is situated in the north-west of that province. The city is located 318 kilometres west of Tbilisi, 30 km. from Black sea coast and 30 km. from Egrisi range. 100-110 metres above sea level. As of 2007, it had a...
, the powerbase of Gamsakhurdia loyalists. After holding a seat 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...
from 1995 to 1999, he has played no role in politics since then.
Early life and career
Otar Patsatsia was born in the family of Ambako Patsatsia and Luba Patsatsia in the village of Ingiri near Zugdidi in then-Soviet Georgia. Trained at the Leningrad Institute of TechnologySaint Petersburg State Institute of Technology
Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Russia , it currently trains around 5000 students.-History:...
as an engineer, he became a Communist party functionary in Zugdidi, serving as the First Secretary of the local Communist Party Committee from 1955 until being sacked in 1965. In 1966 he became a Director of the Zugdidi Paper Factory, a large enterprise, which he led for nearly 25 years until 1990. In the last years of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, he was elected a Soviet People's Deputy
Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union
The Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union was the highest body of state authority of the Soviet Union from 1989 to 1991.-Background:...
from 1989 to 1990 and awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labour.
Political career in independent Georgia
In 1992, Eduard Shevardnadze – a veteran Soviet politician, who became Georgia's Head of State shortly after the violent overthrow of President Zviad Gamsakhurdia – appointed Patsatsia as the head of Zugdidi districtZugdidi District
Zugdidi is a Municipality of Georgia, in the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti. Its main town is Zugdidi.Population: 167,760 Area: 682 km²- Villages of Zugdidi :...
administration. Zugdidi was the principal powerbase of the Gamsakhurdia loyalists – the "Zviadists
Zviadists
Zviadists was an informal name given to supporters of the former Georgian President Zviad Gamsakhurdia who was overthrown and died during the Georgian Civil War of 1991-1993....
" – who continued their resistance, frequently with arms in hands, to the new regime and its undisciplined paramilitary groups. Shevardnadze's promotion of Patsatsia, a Zugdidi native with extensive ties with the local community, was an attempt to appease Gamsakhurdia's supporters.
After the collapse of the government of Tengiz Sigua
Tengiz Sigua
Tengiz Sigua is a Georgian politician and former Prime Minister of the country.Sigua was an engineer by profession and entered politics on the eve of the Soviet Union’s collapse. In 1990, he headed the Rustaveli Society of All Georgia and led an expert group of the bloc “Round Table-Free Georgia”...
on August 5, 1993, Shevardnadze nominated Patsatsia as a new prime minister. He won approval in the parliament on August 20, 1993. He retained his post in the September 7, 1993 reshuffle of the cabinet. The two years of Patsatsia's tenure was marked by increasingly chaotic political environment, violent power struggles, military setback in the secessionist war in Abkhazia
War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)
The War in Abkhazia from 1992 to 1993 was waged chiefly between Georgian government forces on one side and Abkhaz separatist forces supporting independence of Abkhazia from Georgia on the other side. Ethnic Georgians, who lived in Abkhazia fought largely on the side of Georgian government forces...
, a full-scale civil war with the pro-Gamsakhurdia forces, and severe economic crisis, followed by controversial economical and military agreements with Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He was no reformer and had a conservative view of economic development, for example, privatization. Patsatsia resigned on October 5, 1995, to stand for the parliamentary election, in which he ran as a non-party candidate from Zugdidi and won a majoritarian seat for the next four years.