Abkhaz Government Undermined by Defiant Interior Ministry Staff
Reports say 2,000 employees of the Abkhaz Interior Minister announced their defiance to Prime Minister of the breakaway region, Nodar Khashba, following a statement by the Chairman of the Abkhaz Parliamentary Chairman Nugzar Ashuba, who recognized opposition leader Sergey Bagapsh as the President-elect of the de facto republic.
Vice-President of the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia Valery Arshba said on November 17 that employees of the Interior Ministry announced their defiance to Prime Minister, accusing the Abkhaz government of destabilizing the situation in the breakaway region.
Arshba was dismissed from his post following this statement, on November 17.
“Over 2000 employees of the Interior Ministry, [everyone] except the Minister and one deputy announced their defiance to the present government, claiming that it pursues an anti-constitutional policy,” both Georgian and Russian media reported quoting Valeri Arshba.
While speaking to reporters in Sokhumi, head of the Abkhazian Parliament Nugzar Ashuba commented over the recent crisis in the region by saying that the Abkhazian people “have already decided who will be the next President–Sergey Bagapsh,” reported the Regnum News agency.
“It is widely known,” continued Ashuba, “that the elections passed without any serious disturbances.” He also said that Russia is a major guarantor of Abkhazia’s security, “but Russia can not decide who has to be Abkhazia’s President.”
The Abkhaz opposition movements Amtsakhara, Aitaira and United Abkhazia accused Prime Minister Nodar Khashba in urging Russia to send troops to Abkhazia “for restoring order in the region.” But in an interview with Russian news agency Itar-Tass Abkhaz de facto Prime Minister Nodar Khashba denied these accusations.
“I really support Russia’s stance regarding Abkhazia; but first of all, I am a pro-Abkhazian Prime Minister and I have never called on Russia to dispatch troops to Abkhazia,” Khashba said on November 16.
He also said he would continue talks with both presidential candidates. “Sergey Bagapsh [the opposition candidate] promised me he would solve the issue of removing his people from the governmental offices,” the Abkhaz de facto Prime Minister added.
Meanwhile, pro-governmental presidential candidate Raul Khajimba, who enjoys the support of Moscow, expressed a readiness to withdraw his candidacy if opposition candidate Sergey Bagapsh also does the same and gives up his presidential aspirations, RIA Novosti news agency reported quoting Khajimba on November 17.
No immediate response by the opposition leader Sergey Bagapsh is known yet; but it is hardly likely that Bagapsh, who claims victory in the October 3 presidential elections, will accept the proposal.
The Abkhaz opposition speculates that Khajimba and his supporters are planning a scenario, according to which the power will be handed over to the current Prime Minister Nodar Khashba. The latter was installed by Moscow as the unrecognized republic’s Prime Minster after the crisis erupted in the breakaway region following the disputed October 3 polls.
Meanwhile, Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava said, that “the recent developments in breakaway Abkhazia confirm that the Abkhaz people do not want to serve Russia’s interests any more.”
“I do not know which presidential candidate has more chances, but I know that the Abkhaz people have elected Sergey Bagapsh. We will launch talks with any person who comes to power. But it is very important that this person represents the interests of his own people, instead of any foreign state,” Russian news agency Regnum quotes Khaindrava as saying.