Presidential Representative Position in Kodori Gorge Abolished

Chairman of the Abkhaz government-in-exile Irakli Alasania said on December 3 that the position of the President?s representative in the Kodori gorge has been abolished.

Kodori gorge is the only territory in breakaway Abkhazia controlled by the Georgian authorities.  Emzar Kvitsiani, whom some view as a local warlord, held on to the position of president’s representative in Kodori after Saakashvili came to power.

?This position [of the presidential representative] is no more needed. From now on, the Abkhaz Council of Ministers [in exile] will be in charge of governing this territory,? Alasania said.

?Kvitsiani may find some job in the [Tbilisi-based] Abkhaz government,? he added.