Monthly Review

Review of Kremlin Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region

2022 / 10 / 01

Publication:  N45 / Review period:  September 1-30, 2022

Review of the Kremlin Policy in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region is being prepared within the framework of the project - Roadmap to Kremlin's Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. The purpose of the publication is to review important developments related to Russia’s policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. The review is a monthly publication and will be useful for everyone – decision-makers, public employees, media representatives and other people who are interested in the Kremlin policy in the occupied regions of Georgia.

Concept for Russia’s Humanitarian Policy

On September 5, 2022, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, issued an order (611) on the Concept for the Humanitarian Policy of the Russian Federation Abroad. Page 26 of the document mentions the issue of deepening cooperation with the occupied regions of Georgia - Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. According to the Concept, the priority task remains deepening cooperation with Abkhazia, the Tskhinvali region, the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics and CIS countries in the field of culture, education, science, sports, youth policy and tourism (Article 94).

Visit of the President of Belarus to Abkhazia

On September 28, the Belarusian President, Aleksander Lukashenko, made an unexpected visit to Abkhazia. The de facto President, Aslan Bzhania, hosted the guest at the “state country house” in Bichvinta. According to Lukashenko, he was last in Abkhazia 25 or 27 years ago when he was an ordinary member of the parliament. According to him, he discussed the issue of Abkhazia at a meeting with the Russian President the day before in Sochi, and they agreed that Abkhazia cannot be abandoned and should be assisted. According to Lukashenko, his visit is not related to any special situation.

Aleksander Lukashenko's Visit to Abkhazia. Source: presidentofabkhazia.org

Inal Ardzinba Met with Sergey Lavrov

During his visit to Moscow, the de facto Foreign Minister of Abkhazia, Inal Ardzinba, met with the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. At the meeting, they signed an agreement on the settlement of the issue of dual citizenship which will simplify the process of obtaining Russian citizenship for citizens of the de facto republic in the near future. Their last face-to-face meeting took place in December 2021.

Ministry of Health of Abkhazia Signs a Memorandum

A “cooperation memorandum” was signed between the de facto Ministry of Health of Abkhazia and the Federal Service for the Protection of Consumer Rights and Supervision of Human Welfare of the Russian Federation. The “cooperation memorandum” ensuring sanitary and epidemiological well-being was signed at a solemn event. The event took place in Moscow and was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service of the Russian Federation. Abkhazia's de facto Health Minister, Eduard Butba, was invited as an honored guest at the event.

Visit of a Government Official

The Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia, Dmitry Volvach, was on a working visit to Tskhinvali. The main purpose of the visit was a detailed discussion of several points of the 2022-2025 program promoting the social and economic development of the Tskhinvali region. According to the Russian side, their main goal is to promote the economic stability of the Tskhinvali region. As Volvach said at the meeting, Russia's partnership with the Tskhinvali region is of a strategic nature, therefore the Ministry of Economic Development is already negotiating with large Russian banks to make investments in the Tskhinvali region.

Delegation of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development Visited Tskhinvali

A meeting between the de facto government of the Tskhinvali region and a delegation of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia was held in Tskhinvali. The Chairman of the de facto government, Konstantine Jusoev, met with a group of employees of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, chaired by the Director of the Department for Special Programs and Projects, Vitaly Gudin. According to Jusoev, the discussion at the meeting touched upon the issue of the socio-economic development of the “Republic.”

Visit to North Caucasus

The de facto leaders of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali regions, Aslan Bzhania and Alan Gagloyev, took part in events related to the 100th anniversary of the Autonomous Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia. They participated in various ceremonial events. On September 11, Bzhania was also present at the inauguration of Murat Kumpilov, the Head of the Republic of Adyghe.

Visit of the “Minister of Defense” to Moscow

The de facto Defense Minister of the Tskhinvali region, Marat Pavlov, was on a working visit to Moscow. According to Pavlov, the main topic of meetings was increasing the level of social security for military personnel. As he stated the salary increase will be implemented in three stages with the help of Russia. The third stage will start on January 1, 2024. Russian officer Marat Pavlov was appointed as “minister” on August 23. Thirty-eight-year-old Pavlov has been serving in the Russian Armed Forces since 2001. He as a combat veteran has been awarded with Russian state and departmental awards.  

Dmitry Chernyshenko's Visit to Abkhazia

As part of his working visit to Abkhazia, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Dmitry Chernyshenko, met with Aslan Bzhania. The key issue of the meeting was the development of the tourism industry.

Meeting with Chernyshenko. Source:  presidentofabkhazia.org