Abkhaz Leadership Claims Majority of Abkhazians is Russian Citizen

(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, July 11, 2002) – Prime Minister of unrecognized Abkhazian Republic Anri Jergenia states that up to 60% of population living in breakaway Abkhazia are already Russian citizens.

Jergenia told the Russian news agency Interfax on July 11 that the data proves that the Abkhazian people is eager for closer ties with Russia then with any other state.

The Georgian side protests against the Russian law on citizenship. Georgian President says it is tool for the “hidden annexation.”

According to the Russian law on citizenship, every citizen who resides on the territory of any former Soviet state and has no citizenship of any country will enjoy simplified procedures for obtaining citizenship of the Russian Federation. This directly applies to the residents of separatist Abkhazia and South Osetia.