Spartak Zhidkov, Sukhumi. Exclusive to Vestnik Kavkaza
In 2012 the resort season was very long in Abkhazia. The republic hasn’t seen such a warm autumn for many years. Many Russian tourists have never stayed in Abkhazian resorts in autumn. There are many reasons for this: flooding in Krymsk and the Olympic construction in Sochi and Adler damaged images of the Russian Black Sea resorts. However, the majority of Russian tourists in Abkhazia are not wealthy people who require standard conditions of living. In Abkhazia they find local residents who are ready to rent them apartments on the coast at a low price. At the same time, rest-homes didn’t experience a lack of clients in this season. The political storms of Georgia were not felt in Abkhazia.
The only emergency situation was flooding on October 8-9 when many districts of Sukhumi flooded after heavy rains. Traffic was blocked; long traffic jams appeared on the streets. Last time such a flood took place on July 1st, 1995, when two people died. This time there were no victims. Moreover, the Abkhazian authorities were quick to liquidate the consequences of flooding. Abkhazia suffered problems with electricity, water, telephone and internet communication after every heavy rain. This time electricity was turned off for a short time in some districts, in the rest of them it wasn’t turned off at all. The residents of the republic are happy even with these small changes.
The reconstruction of social infrastructure is a long-term economic program of the Abkhazian President. All efforts and all financial support from Moscow are invested into the revival of facilities which haven't been reconstructed or renewed in at least 20 years, some up to 30-40 years. The republic got used to solving any problem by means of temporary repairs in the period of post-war instability and non-recognition (1993-2008). Step by step a huge amount of facilities appeared to be workless or functioning poorly. The practice was based on logics: why should they reconstruct a school, if no children live in a destroyed village? Why should a road be mended, if tanks would probably destroy it again soon?
President Alexander Ankvab and the prime minister Leonid Lakeria prefer a full-scaled reconstruction of roads, power lines, water system, as well as construction in villages which remained almost empty after the war: kindergartens, schools, clubs and sporting facilities. It demands huge sums of money and time, but it may be grounds for renewal of the whole economic system. This policy continues and deepens Sergey Bagapsh’s economic course.
Nevertheless, the economic policy of the government still causes skepticism from the Abkhazian opposition and liberal intelligentsia. Their arguments are that finances are invested into facilities which are not profitable, while minor and medium business is not stimulated. They conclude that Abkhazia has “a fish, not a rod” and economic independence remains unreached. The critics think it is better to build enterprises than roads. However, the experiences of the past show that even major business cannot provide the state budget with taxes, the amount of which would be enough for reconstruction of post-war Abkhazia. Moscow won’t give money infinitely. Thus, the current work on reviving of the infrastructure is fundamental for an independent economy.
To be continued.
