The leader of Russia-backed self-proclaimed Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, left Sukhumi after opposition demands that he resign, the website of Echo Kavkaza, the regional editorial office of Radio Free Europe, reported on Saturday. According to opponents of the authorities, talks with Bżania were suspended because he “escaped”. The opposition claimed that he could be hiding in a Russian military unit.
The opposition gave the leader an ultimatum after he publicly refused to resign. Aslan Bzhania was given “an hour to think,” the Echo Kavkaza portal reports on the situation in separatist Abkhazia. The regional editorial office of Radio Free Europe quotes one of the key opponents of the authorities, Lewan Mikaa, who stated that “if the president does not leave, the opposition will go where he is.”
Departure to the home village
The leader's press service reported that he had left the capital of Abkhazia, Sukhumi. She announced that Bżania had left on the night from Friday to Saturday for his home village of Tamash, located near the town of Ochamczyra. According to previous findings by Ukrainian military intelligence, the Russians are expanding a port in this city where Russian warships transferred from the annexed Crimea are to be stationed.
Late on Friday evening, the Abkhazian opposition announced that “there is a high probability” that Bzhania “may be located in the territory of a Russian military unit.” Lewan Mikaa talked about this in a special recording, citing his own informants.
Recipe pack
The situation in an unrecognized region located within the territory Georgiaescalated in connection with a package of regulations legalizing Russian “investments” in the region and ownership of land and real estate. Critics of Russia-backed Bzhania oppose this solution.
The draft “investment agreement” was supposed to be adopted on Friday, but the parliament session was canceled. Protesters who demanded the rejection of these proposals broke the fence in front of the parliament with a vehicle and entered the area, and also surrounded other government buildings.
According to Echo Kawkaz, smoke grenades or tear gas were used against protest participants.
On Friday afternoon, Bzhania's administration announced that it was preparing a document regarding the withdrawal of the draft agreement with Russia from parliament.
According to Georgian media, due to the delay in adopting these regulations, Moscow announced serious cuts in financing for the region it controls.
Protesters broke the parliament fence in separatist AbkhaziaReuters
Conditions of Bzhania
On Saturday, Bzhania's press service denied reports that he was staying in the territory of a Russian unit. They reported that he was in his village, where his supporters had gathered. In a conversation with them, Bżania allegedly stated that “he will not give in to pressure, but he is ready for a 'constitutional' solution, which provides for new elections and his resignation from office.”
Bzhanija also set a condition for protesters to leave government buildings.
The leader of self-proclaimed Abkhazia, Aslan BzhaniyaReuters
After the war with Georgia
Abkhazia has been outside the authority of the Georgian authorities for over 30 years. The separatist government in Sukhumi maintains that it is an independent state (the unilateral proclamation of independence took place in 1992). The region's independence is recognized by only a few countries, including Russia, which recognized it in 2008 after a several-day war with Georgia. About four thousand Russian soldiers are stationed in the self-proclaimed region with a population of over 240,000. There is also a Russian military base in Georgia's other breakaway region, South Ossetia.
The authorities in Tbilisi recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as territories of their country occupied by the Russian army.
Echo Kavkaza, The Moscow Times, PAP
Main photo source: Reuters