IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 108

Commemorating the life of the late Zurab Zhvania, Prime Minister of the 

Republic of Georgia. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 16, 2005

Mr. GALLEGLY (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Mr. WEXLER) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on International Relations 

RESOLUTION

Commemorating the life of the late Zurab Zhvania, Prime 

Minister of the Republic of Georgia.

Whereas on the night of February 3, 2005, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Georgia, Zurab Zhvania, died, apparently due to carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a 

malfunctioning heater; 

Whereas the death of Prime Minister Zhvania at the age of 

41 is a tragic loss for the Republic of Georgia; 

Whereas Zurab Zhvania was a dedicated reformer whose visionary leadership inspired a new generation of political 

leaders in the Republic of Georgia; 

Whereas Zurab Zhvania founded the Citizen’s Union Party, 

which won elections in 1995, making him the Speaker of 

the Georgian Parliament; 
2

•HRES 108 IH 

Whereas under the leadership of Speaker Zhvania, the Georgian Parliament was transformed into an effective and 

transparent legislative institution; 

Whereas in November 2001, Speaker Zhvania resigned his 

position in protest when government authorities attempted to suppress the leading independent television 

station in the Republic of Georgia; 

Whereas Zurab Zhvania formed the United Democrats, a 

party that blossomed into one of the major forces that 

brought about the Rose Revolution in the Republic of 

Georgia in November 2003; 

Whereas in the most dangerous hours of the Rose Revolution, 

when it appeared that armed force could be used against 

the peaceful protestors, Zurab Zhvania dismissed his 

bodyguards and led a march to Parliament accompanied 

only by his young children; 

Whereas Zurab Zhvania was named Prime Minister of the 

Republic of Georgia in November 2003, and led governmental efforts to develop and implement far-reaching economic, judicial, military, and social reforms thereby turning the promise of the Rose Revolution into real results 

that have dramatically improved life in the Republic of 

Georgia; 

Whereas the strong commitment of Zurab Zhvania to the 

peaceful restoration of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Georgia was most recently displayed in the central role he played in the development of the unprecedented and generous proposal of the Republic of Georgia 

for resolving the status of South Ossetia peacefully and 

justly; and 
3

•HRES 108 IH 

Whereas Zurab Zhvania’s vision of the historical destiny of 

the Republic of Georgia was eloquently expressed before 

the Council of Europe on April 27, 1999, when he said, 

‘‘I am Georgian and therefore, I am European’’: Now, 

therefore, be it.

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) expresses its sympathy and deepest condo3 lences to the family of Zurab Zhvania for their trag4 ic loss of a son, husband, and father, and to the peo5 ple of the Republic of Georgia for the death of their 

6 Prime Minister; 

7 (2) commends the courage, energy, political 

8 imagination, and leadership of Zurab Zhvania that 

9 were so critical to the development of a democratic 

10 Republic of Georgia; 

11 (3) recognizes that the integration of the Re12 public of Georgia into Euro-Atlantic institutions will 

13 be the completion of the vision of Zurab Zhvania 

14 and his most lasting legacy; and 

15 (4) expresses its solidarity with the people and 

16 Government of the Republic of Georgia at this dif17 ficult time.

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