31 March referendum laid foundation for Georgia’s statehood, PM

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has described 31 March as a defining date in the country’s modern history, marking the anniversary of the 1991 independence referendum.

In a statement on Tuesday, Kobakhidze said the nationwide vote, held on 31 March 1991, saw participation across the country, including in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, with voters expressing support for Georgia’s sovereign future.

He said the referendum established a “firm legal foundation” on which the modern Georgian state is built.

“We have a duty to safeguard this invaluable achievement, to defend it with dignity and to strengthen the statehood consolidated by the 1991 referendum,” Kobakhidze said.