The de facto leaders of occupied Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania and Alexander Ankvab, addressed the opponents of closer relations with Russia at the meeting of the Coordination Council of Law Enforcement Agencies on September 23. They criticized their perception of Russia as an occupying power and called against drawing parallels between the Russian and Georgian governments.
“There are people in our state, quite well-known public figures, who want to draw some parallels between the governments of Russia and Georgia. This is unacceptable,” stated Bzhania, stressing: “I have said, and I would like to say once again, that we must rely on the opportunities that the Russian Federation offers us, rely on these opportunities to strengthen our statehood, strengthen our economic sovereignty, from which everything else is derived. Russia is our brother, our friend. Nobody is talking about joining [Russia]. Abkhazia is independent, but we must fulfill our obligations [towards Moscow].”
Ankvab added that there are “young and hot-headed” people in Abkhazia who say Russia is acting as a colonizer, which he considered “unacceptable in interstate relations” and scolded the elders for not correcting these statements. He noted commitments taken in 2008 and 2014 must be fulfilled, and attempts “to revise them are unacceptable.”
Bzhania and Ankhvab are facing mounting opposition and even calls for resignation, which is triggered by Moscow’s grabs of property in the occupied region. Their position became even more fragile after Moscow, disgruntled by delays in fulfilling its demands, refused to transfer pensions and other social contributions.
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