Otar Patsatsia facts for kids

Otar Patsatsia (Georgian: ოთარ ფაცაცია; 15 May 1929 – 9 December 2021) was an important Georgian politician. He served as the country's Prime Minister from 20 August 1993 to 5 October 1995.

Before becoming Prime Minister, Patsatsia worked as a manager in a large factory. He also held positions in the government during the time of the Soviet Union. He became Prime Minister when Eduard Shevardnadze was Georgia's Head of State. This was a very challenging time for Georgia, with many internal conflicts and economic problems.

Early Life and Career

Otar Patsatsia was born on 15 May 1929. His parents were Ambako and Luba Patsatsia. He was born in a village called Ingiri, which is in the Zugdidi District of what was then the Georgian SSR.

He studied engineering at the Leningrad Institute of Technology. After his studies, he worked for the Communist Party in Zugdidi. From 1955 to 1965, he was a main leader for the local Communist Party.

In 1966, he became the Director of the Zugdidi Paper Factory. This was a very big company. He managed the factory for almost 25 years, until 1990. Towards the end of the Soviet Union, he was chosen as a People's Deputy. He also received a special award called "Hero of Socialist Labour" for his work.

Political Role in Independent Georgia

In 1992, Georgia had become an independent country. Eduard Shevardnadze became the Head of State after a period of political unrest. He chose Otar Patsatsia to lead the administration in the Zugdidi district.

Zugdidi was a strong area for supporters of the previous president, Zviad Gamsakhurdia. These supporters were sometimes called "Zviadists". They often resisted the new government. Shevardnadze hoped that by appointing Patsatsia, who was from Zugdidi and knew the local people well, he could help calm things down.

Becoming Prime Minister

The previous government, led by Tengiz Sigua, ended on August 5, 1993. Shevardnadze then chose Patsatsia to be the new Prime Minister. The parliament approved him on August 20, 1993. He kept his job even after a government change on September 7, 1993.

The two years Patsatsia was Prime Minister were very difficult for Georgia. There were many political disagreements and power struggles. Georgia also faced a military defeat in the war in Abkhazia. There was also a full-scale civil war with forces loyal to the former president. The country also went through a very serious economic crisis. During this time, Georgia made some important agreements with Russia.

Patsatsia was not a big supporter of economic changes like privatization. He had more traditional ideas about how the economy should work. He resigned from his position on October 5, 1995. He then ran in the parliamentary election as an independent candidate from Zugdidi. He won a seat and served in the Parliament of Georgia for the next four years. After 1999, he did not hold any further political roles.

Death

Otar Patsatsia passed away on 9 December 2021. He was 92 years old. He died from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia.

See also

In Spanish: Otar Patsatsia para niños