Publication:  N48 / Review period:  December 1-31, 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.

First Official Visit of the Chairman of the Russian State Duma to Abkhazia

On December 1, 2022, the Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Volodin, paid an official visit to the occupied Abkhazia. The official purpose of Volodin's visit was to sign a cooperation agreement between the Russian State Duma and the de facto parliament of Abkhazia. This was the first visit of a chairman of the State Duma to the occupied region of Georgia after the 2008 Russian-Georgian war. Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev and Sergey Lavrov visited Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region at different times.

During the visit, Volodin met with the de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, and the speaker of the de facto parliament, Lasha Ashuba. Volodin and Ashuba also signed an agreement on “parliamentary cooperation” within the framework of which a working group will be created to address issues of bilateral relations in a parliamentary format. The meeting of the working group will be held in a few months.

Meeting between Aslan Bzhania and Vyacheslav Volodin. Source:  presidentofabkhazia.org

Alan Albarov Meets Vyacheslav Volodin in Moscow

On December 15, during his working visit to Moscow, the Chairman of the de facto Parliament of the Tskhinvali region, Alan Albarov, met with the Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Volodin. The meeting laid the foundation for a new “inter-parliamentary” initiative - establish a bilateral commission which will be a kind of supervisory body aimed at increasing the quality of coordination of relevant committees of the “parliaments” of Russia and the Tskhinvali region.

Gagloev's Meeting with Officials Supervising the Occupied Regions of Georgia

On December 28, 2022, in Moscow, the de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Alan Gagloev, met with the Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration, Dmitry Kozak, who oversees the occupied regions of Georgia. The meeting discussed various issues, including: the implementation of the 2023-2025 socio-economic development program for the Tskhinvali region, effective spending of the Russian budget resources allocated for the socio-economic development of the de facto republic, salary increases for employees of the de facto executive authority and law enforcement agencies, employees of the prosecutor's office, penitentiary Pension provision and cooperation in the field of energy.

Meeting Between Alan Gagloev and Dmitry Kozak. Source: presidentruo.org

During the visit to Moscow, Gagloev also met with the Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Rashid Nurgaliyev, who supervises the occupied regions of Georgia at the Council. The meeting discussed security issues.

Meeting with the Secretary of the Russian Security Council

On December 22, in Moscow, the Secretary of the de facto Security Council of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Pliev, met with the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev. During the meeting, the parties signed a mutual cooperation action plan for 2023-2024 as well as discussed areas of common interest and opportunities for deepening relations in these areas.

Meeting Between Anatoly Pliev and Nikolai Patrushev. Source: cominf.org

Meeting of the “Intergovernmental” Commission of Abkhazia and Russia

On December 6, a meeting of the 19th “intergovernmental” commission of the state program promoting the socio-economic development of the de facto republic of Abkhazia, funded by Russia, was held in Moscow. The commission was headed by the de facto Prime Minister, Alexander Ankvab, and the Deputy Chairman of the Russian government, Alexander Novak. At the meeting, the parties discussed investment prospects, the issues of electric energy, tourism development and reconstruction of the Sokhumi airport runway.

Moscow Hosts the Union State’s Parliamentary Session  

On December 19, the 63rd parliamentary session of the Union State of Belarus and Russia was held in the State Duma. The Chairman of the parliament of the de facto republic of Abkhazia, Lasha Ashuba, and the Chairman of the parliament of the de facto republic of the Tskhinvali region, Alan Alborov, also attended the session. The parliamentary session was headed by the Chairman of the Parliament of the Union State of Russia and Belarus and the Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin.

Meeting of de facto Minister of Justice of the Tskhinvali Region in Moscow

On December 16, in Moscow, the de facto Minister of Justice of the Tskhinvali region, Oleg Gagloev, met with the Head of the Federal Service of State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography, Oleg Skufinsky. In February 2022, the parties signed a memorandum on bilateral cooperation.

Ratification of an Agreement on Dual Citizenship

The de facto parliament of Abkhazia ratified an agreement on dual citizenship. According to the agreement, residents of Abkhazia will be able to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner. The agreement also regulates issues of social security, education, medical and military services. The agreement is valid for five years with the possibility of automatic extension.

Abkhazian-Russian Business Forum

On December 6, 2022, Moscow hosted a forum dedicated to business relations between Russia and Abkhazia. According to the Minister of Economic Development of Russia, Dmitry Volvach, Russian business is ready to invest in tourism, agriculture, energy and other fields in the occupied Abkhazia. He noted that during the last years, the “parties” worked on the harmonization of legislation, and currently conditions for investments and protection of investors' rights are being worked out in the de facto republic.

Meeting with a Gazprom Promgaz Delegation

The President of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, held a meeting with a delegation of Gazprom Promgaz. The meeting discussed the general plan of gasification project for the occupied Abkhazia. Gazprom Promgaz elaborated the project within an agreement with the de facto Ministry of Economy. According to the agreement, one year was set for the creation of a master plan which would describe the methods of realization of all stages. The mentioned event was financed by the Russia-funded state program for the socio-economic development of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia for 2020-2022.

Visit of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan to Abkhazia

The President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minikhanov, paid a one-day unofficial visit to the occupied Abkhazia. The President of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, met the guest at the Russian-Abkhaz border. Minikhanov's visit was aimed at developing bilateral cooperation. In July 2022, Bzhania was on a working visit to the Republic of Tatarstan, and Minikhanov himself made his first visit to the occupied Abkhazia on October 1, 2015.