Chabua Amirejibi

Who knows how much has been said on the topic of quality and quantity? Here is another observation. Well, the history of the Georgian people willed it so that Guria has been the most politicised of all provinces of Georgia. Every Gurian has regarded politics to be his vocation. Especially before the October revolution, later during our first period of democracy, and to a lesser extent, during the Communist period. It is still so today. Regarding this phenomenon, the Gurians themselves have many jokes. Obviously the existence of so many politicians should ultimately have been followed by a shift in quality - which indeed happened. To the family of a nobleman, Ambrosi Shevardnadze, a child was born who was destined to rise to the pinnacle of world politics.

I once heard the story of a burglar who broke into the house of a Gurian farmer. He took everything, and also raped the farmers wife in front of him.  The outlaw rebel Datiko Shevardnadze, Eduard Shevardnadze’ great uncle brought this criminal with his hands tied to the farmer, handed him a gun and said, “Shoot this bastard, and I will claim responsibility.” The farmer answered, “I cannot sin and kill the man. Let God give him his due.” I do not know how accurate this account is, nor do I know for sure that Datiko Shevardnadze was indeed Eduard Shevardnadze’s great uncle. But our leader’s courage is known to all.

In my youth and later, many things happened to me when I only survived through courage. But only in my old age have I become convinced that boldness and courage are not merely a gift of God, but a quality developed through many calculated risks. I do not know whether his youth gave him these experiences, but one thing is clear, he is as fearless as the fleshless. It does not matter whether he developed it, or whether it was a gift from God - what matters is that he is what he is.