- 1 9 9 1 ), ▁refuge e ▁in ▁France ▁ ▁El ie ▁Mel ia ▁( 1 9 1 5 - 1 9 8 8 ), ▁lived ▁in ▁Belg ium ▁and ▁then ▁in ▁France ; ▁priest ▁and ▁historian ▁of ▁the ▁Georg ian ▁Orth odox ▁Church . ▁ ▁Alexandre ▁Mel ia va ▁( 1 9 0 8 - 1 9 6 8 ), ▁refuge e ▁in ▁France . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Soviet ▁years , ▁groups ▁with ▁the ▁surname ▁Mel ua ▁migr ated ▁from ▁M ing rel ia , ▁G uria ▁and ▁T bil isi ▁to ▁Bat um , ▁K iev , ▁Moscow ▁and ▁L ening rad , ▁for ▁education ▁and ▁univers ities , ▁but ▁also ▁for ▁jobs . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁Georg ian ▁so vere ig nt y ▁and ▁the ▁civil ▁war , ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁people ▁left ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁migr ated ; ▁some ▁with ▁the ▁surname ▁Mel ua ▁moved ▁to ▁Great ▁Britain ▁or ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁looking ▁for ▁a ▁better ▁life . ▁▁ 2 1 st ▁century ▁ ▁Today , ▁there ▁are ▁Georg ian , ▁American , ▁British , ▁French ▁and ▁Russian ▁people ▁with ▁the ▁surname ▁Mel ua : ▁Ark ady ▁Mel ua ▁is ▁the ▁Russian ▁general ▁director ▁and ▁editor - in - ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁scientific ▁publishing ▁house , ▁Human istica . ▁David ▁Mel ua ▁is ▁the ▁executive ▁secretary ▁of ▁National ▁Association ▁of ▁Local ▁Author ities ▁of ▁Georgia ▁El en ▁Mel ua , ▁was ▁a ▁former ▁fashion ▁collection ▁chief