Spartak Zhidkov, Sukhumi. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
See the beginning http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/economy/33108.html
In October, a scandal about a document which was signed two years ago took place in the Abkhaz parliament. It required that a Russian company Donskoi Tabak would buy a rest-house in the village of Tsandrypsh near the Russian-Abkhazian border. The opposition PMs accused the initiators of the deal of selling 6 ha of Abkhaz territory rather than a rest-house. President withdrew the document from the parliament, as it contained a lot of mismatches with the current legislation.
This story is interesting by the opposition’s strategy, trying to find evidence of “bargain-sale of national values” by President. The same “analysis” is conducted by the opposition over all successes achieved in improvement of Russian-Abkhazian economic relations. At the same time, the opposition has nothing to be proud of. On the one hand, it is present in the parliament and local administrative bodies; on the other hand, it is not one of two strongest players in the political arena, but one of many. The new parliament elected in March appeared to be active with professional PMs. Reduction of political fighting made the Public Chamber more prominent too. It includes 35 people: one third is presented by President, one third by local administrative bodies, one third by social-political parties and movements. As the majority of the population in Abkhazia is not enthusiastic about political processes, the opposition has few spheres to act.
However, there is one sphere where political competition is still high – Internet. Two political groups were established in Facebook in two months – one in Sukhumi and another in Tkvarcheli. They are aimed at “making life of our people worthy on our land.” Establishing of both groups included traditional criticism of the authorities; the central issue of the positive program was the parliamentary reform. Probably the initiators were inspired by Bidzina Ivanishvili’s victory at the parliamentary elections in Georgia.
A plan of revenge after all failures at elections in Abkhazia seemed to be attractive: if they couldn’t displace Ankvab, they would take away almost all his functions under the motto of fighting for democracy. Actually it was not the opposition leader Ivanishvili who turned Georgia into a parliamentary republic, but President Mikhail Saakashvili. But the idea of reforming the constitution is quite suitable for Abkhazia.
The project of turning Abkhazia into a parliamentary republic has been discussed in the society for a long time, but no referendum was conducted. Moreover, when the opposition bloggers met in Sukhumi, they divided into supporters of parliamentary, presidential, and parliamentary-presidential regimes. The opposition activists have found a right motto, now they have to convince the population that it is reasonable. Time will tell; today Abkhazia is solving other problems.
President Ankvab conducted a press conference after the parliamentary elections and commented on relations with Tbilisi: “A peacemaking treaty is a crucial issue. All other issues, including refugees, have been discussed with the Georgian side at different platforms; but it has gained no benefits. Dangers are always around us, notwithstanding who came in office Ivanishvili or someone else. If they want to talk with us as with equal neighbors, we are ready. If they decide to act differently, they will fail.”
The Abkhazian government and the opposition share the view on relations with Tbilisi, even though Georgian Dream’s statements are considered by many people in Abkhazia as reconsideration of the tough anti-Russian policy by Saakashvili. For example, the Georgian TV-channel PIK which was thought to be provocative was closed down. Nevertheless, Tbilisi cannot refuse from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, while Sukhumi and Tskhinvali cannot refuse from independence. At the same time, a peacemaking treaty proposed by Abkhazia doesn’t contradict the policy of Ivanishvili’s government. But Georgia would definitely demand some concession from Abkhazia, while Sukhumi is not so much interested in the treaty for doing this.
