Aslan Bzhania in 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/VALERY SHARIFULIN / SPUTNIK / GOVERNMENT PRESS SERVICE
Aslan Bzhania, the president of the Georgian breakaway republic of Abkhazia, has tendered his resignation after several days of protests over a controversial investment deal with Russia, Bzhania’s press service announced early Tuesday.
“In order to preserve stability and constitutional order in the country, … I resign from the post of President of the Republic of Abkhazia,” Bzhania wrote in the resignation letter dated 19 November.
Vice President Badra Gunba will become acting president and the acting prime minister will be Valery Bganba, who held the post from 2018 to 2020. Current ministers will remain in position until a newly elected president takes up office, Russian state-affiliated news agency Interfax reported.
Once news that negotiations had secured Bzhania’s resignation emerged, protesters began leaving the square in front of the presidential administration building, Interfax said.
The opposition had demanded Bzhania resign following protests that began on 12 November when the parliament of the unrecognised republic was due to approve a new investment agreement with Russia.
The deal, which was signed by both parties in October, would grant Russian investors several benefits including an eight-year exemption from property and profit taxes as well as customs duties on imported construction materials and equipment. It is now on hold.
Clashes between protesters and the security forces culminated with protesters using a truck to break through the gates of the government compound before storming into parliament on Friday in an attempt to prevent the deal from being adopted.
While the Abkhazian authorities view the deal between Sukhumi and Moscow as a potential boost for the region’s economy, opponents believe the deal represents the surrender of Abkhazia’s own interests to those of “foreign oligarchs”.
Despite Abkhazia being recognised as part of Georgia under international law, its economy remains almost entirely dependent on Moscow, which even paid the salaries of the region’s public sector employees until September, when Abkhazian Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba confirmed that Russia had suspended its funding.
