Publication: N8 / Review Period: May 1-31, 2023

The review is being prepared within the framework of the Roadmap to the Kremlin's Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region project. The purpose of the review is to provide readers with information about main events and trends in the occupied regions of Georgia. The review is a monthly publication and will be useful for decision-makers, public employees, media representatives and other people who are interested in the developments taking place in the occupied regions of Georgia.

Abkhazia  

“Trade Legalization with Georgia” and Opposition’s Criticism  

On March 31, 2023, the de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, issued a decree which simplifies the movement of certain categories of products between the occupied Abkhazia and the territory controlled by the central government of Georgia. The document presents a specific list of products which can be transferred through the so-called Enguri crossing checkpoint in a simplified manner.

According to the opposition, the de facto government’s similar decision is aimed at “legalizing trade with Georgia.” In response to the criticism, the de facto government made several statements and on May 11, representatives of the Bzhania administration and the de facto government met with political parties and public organizations. The First Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture, Beslan Jopua, who is the main speaker on the issue made a comment at the meeting.

As Jopua said, no one is going to “legalize trade with Georgia.” He said that “the Ministry of Agriculture faced a problem in the development of the agricultural program. The Ministry of Agriculture of Russia provides assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture of Abkhazia and the Institute of Agricultural Sciences of ASA (Academy of Science of Abkhazia); however, there are some types of equipment and plants which cannot be obtained from Russia due to sanctions.” Jopua named subtropical crops, nuts and also special equipment among those products.

Such a decision of the de facto government is connected with the difficulty of importing a certain category of goods from Russia which, under the sanctions, are difficult to import into Russia itself or import to Abkhazia is more expensive. The de facto government sees the development of economic relations with the Georgian side in a certain direction as a way to overcome the created deficit, which the opponents of the de facto government consider as the legalization of economic relations with Georgia and a dangerous decision for the de facto republic.

Why Were “Ҳараҳпицунда” Members Detained?

On May 4, activists of the “Ҳараҳпицунда” youth movement were arrested in Sokhumi. Movement activists put up banners in the city which expressed their opinion on social significant issues and contained quotes from well-known figures of the de facto republic. The movement opposes the transfer of the Bichvinta state country house to Russia and has recently become popular. It seems that the de facto government sees a danger in the organization and says it is managed from “outside” (meaning Georgia).

Movement Banner in Sokhumi

Opposition Rally in Sokhumi

As reported on May 11, opposition parties and some public organizations were planning to hold a rally in Sokhumi. Before that, on April 25, they presented demands to Bzhania. They accused the de facto government of various violations, including signing the agreement on the transfer of the Bichvnita state country house to Russia, increasing funds for the repair of the Achguara power transmission line as well as increasing the electricity tariff. The opposition also demanded the resignation of the de facto government.

The de facto government made precautions from the beginning and accused the opposition of aggravating the domestic political situation before the holiday season. At a meeting of the forces supporting the de facto government, the de facto Minister of Internal Affairs, Valter Butba, said that “political opponents want to disrupt the summer holiday season so that the state does not develop productively since this is the only period when we can get income for the development.” A preliminary warning was given by the de facto State Security Service, the Head of which, Robert Kiut, said on May 28 that holding a peaceful rally is a constitutional right of citizens, but illegal actions will be suppressed within the law.

The opposition rally was held on May 30. In parallel, supporters of Bzhania also gathered. The de facto government has especially prepared for the rally and, in addition to the installation of artificial barriers, ensured the full mobilization of equipment and the law enforcement officers. At the end of the rally, the opposition handed over a list of demands to the de facto government, which included a call to dismiss the government. Bzhania also met with the opposition, but the de facto government refused to fulfill the demands. Ultimately, the rally ended peacefully. At this stage, it seems that the de facto government won because the opposition did not achieve any results.

Opposition Rally in Sokhumi

Anniversary of the De Facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs

In Sokhumi, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the de facto republic was celebrated pompously. The highest-rank guest was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, Denis Moncada, who also met with the de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs, Inal Ardzinba, on May 18. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Tskhinvali region, Akhsar Jioev, and the Ambassador of Venezuela to Russia and concurrently to the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Jesus Velazquez, also attended the ceremonial events.

As part of the anniversary events, the Global Abkhazia forum was held on May 17. The purpose of the forum was to discuss current issues and share experience with foreign ministries of other countries. Bzhania also took part in it. The forum discussed opportunities for cooperation between Abkhazia and CIS countries, Middle East and Latin American countries. The de facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs is particularly active in the direction of this region since expects from the countries of this region support the recognition policy.

On May 26, in an interview to Abkhaz TV, Ardzinba spoke about the development of relations with these countries (Syria, Palestine, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Yemen, Latin American and African countries). As he said, he will participate in a summit - Russia-Africa, which is planned in St. Petersburg in July. In the same interview, Ardzinba named the development of relations with Belarus as a strategic direction. “The direction of Belarus is of great interest to us, we monitor the development of the Union State (Russian-Belarusian Union),” Ardzinba said. The de facto Minister anticipates the recognition from Belarus after bilateral trade and investment relations are established. Meetings between the President of Belarus, Aleksander Lukashenko, and Bzhania took place in Bichvinta in September 2022, and in Minsk in February 2023.

“Canale Italia”

On May 19, the so-called Ambassadors-at-Large of the de facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kan Tania and Vito Grittani, took part in the “Notizie Oggi” program of the Italian TV channel “Canale Italia.” The main topic of the conversation was the Russian military aggression in Ukraine and comparative analysis to other conflicts in the post-Soviet space. Tania also mentioned the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict of 1992-1993. The Abkhaz side pays a lot of attention to information campaigns abroad, and through lobbying their informal representatives, periodically appear in the media or in the public spaces, especially in Italy.

So-Called Ambassadors-at-Large Participate in the Program               

Confrontation with the UN

The de facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs confronted international organizations once again. The de facto Ministry requested a meeting with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme to receive information on the implementation of projects and programs. The de facto Ministry was advised to select alternative forms for obtaining the necessary information, and not request a meeting at the political level. The refusal from the UN was not accepted in the de facto Ministry and the transparency of the UN's activities was called into question. In a statement issued on May 3, the de facto Ministry threatened to suspend the projects if their demands were not met. A similar approach is part of the general policy of the de facto Ministry which is in place after the appointment of Inal Ardzinba as the de facto Minister (November 17, 2021) and is aimed at increasing control over the activities of international organizations.

Trial of the “Spy”

On May 5, a Georgian citizen Kristina Takalandze was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in prison. Takalandze was arrested on July 20, 2022. According to the so-called State Security Service of Abkhazia, Takalandze was born in Zugdidi in 1998 and lived in the village of Nabakevi of the occupied Gali district. “Takalandze obtained, collected and transferred to the Georgian Special Services information containing state, military and other secrets protected by law,” a statement of the Service reads.

Recently, the so-called State Security Service of the occupied Abkhazia, has been paying special attention to the fight against “Georgian spies.” The Service assesses that “the activities of the Special Services of Georgia are becoming more sophisticated, organized and technically sound.”

Tskhinvali Region

New Suspect in the Case of Inal Jabiev

In the occupied Tskhinvali region, a criminal case was initiated against the former “General Prosecutor,” Uruzmag Jagaev, on charges of abusing power in connection with the so-called Jabiev’s case. Jabiev died on August 28, 2020 in a criminal militia building as a result of violence by law enforcement officials. In Tskhinvali, they think that Jagaev is the main person responsible for conducting improper investigation of the case. Before that, a criminal case was initiated against the former de facto Minister of Internal Affairs, Igor Naniev. Jabiev was accused of attempting to assassinate Naniev.

Gagloyev’s One Year

Alan Gagloyev's Speech in the De Facto Parliament

On May 24, one year of Gagloyev's “presidency” in the Tskhinvali region was completed. On May 29, Gagloyev made a speech in the de facto parliament and summarized his activities. In addition to criticizing his predecessor, Gagloyev spoke about his work and plans for the future. The main messages of his speech were:

Foreign Policy

• Russia is and will be our main ally. Aggression against Russia will be considered as aggression against “South Ossetia.”
• We supported the joining of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions to Russia. I hope that “South Ossetia’s” turn will come soon.
• Against the background of the special operation, destructive forces have been activated in Georgia which push opening a second front against “South Ossetia” and Abkhazia. The defense capability of the de facto republic has been strengthened accordingly.

Domestic Politics and Legality

• We are ready to discuss the issue of redistribution of powers in favor of Parliament.
• The investigation into Inal Jabiev's murder will be brought to the end.

Economics and Finance

• There is a RUB 1 billion debt to Russian suppliers for gas and electricity consumption.
• There are big financial irregularities in spending of funds allocated by Russia as aid. The Russian Treasury revealed a violation in the amount of RUB 625 million.
• There is a consent from Russia on the implementation of the complete gasification project of the region.
• Tourism is a promising direction of the economy. A tourism development agency should be established.

Healthcare and Social Sphere

• We cannot provide qualified medical care to our citizens and we are forced to send them to Russia or Georgia.
• A separate Ministry of Labor and Social Development will be created on the basis of the Ministry of Health and Social Development.

Culture, Education, National Ideology

• A state program for the preservation and development of the Ossetian language should be worked out and implemented.
• A high-quality textbook on the recent history of “South Ossetia” should be prepared. The youth should better know the heroic past and the history of “South Ossetia,” remember the names of those who headed the national liberation movement and defended their homeland from Georgian aggression.

In his speech, Gagloyev emphasized Russia's alliance and Kremlin's support; however, at the same time, he talked about the expected decrease in funding from Russia, which, in his estimation, will have a negative impact on the region. Gagloyev faces a difficult political year. Illegitimate parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2024 and funding cuts will reduce his ability to implement projects which his political opponents will use against him.