Spartak Zhidkov, Abkhazia. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
December 2012 was marked by conflict in Abkhazia, which began with a protest by a group of citizens against the construction of a multi-storey building in Sinop, the easternmost region of the Abkhaz capital. Sinop is one of the most attractive residential areas of Sukhumi. Sinope Beach is considered the best in the city. Initially, residents protested against construction that was too noisy and dirty, but isolated protests quickly turned into a republican-scale dispute. The controversy has at its heart the question of whether it is at all acceptable to build giant buildings in the narrow streets of the capital or should there be legislation banning such ventures?
The peculiarity of the conflict is that it is developing not according to the usual 'opposition against the government' scheme, but along a fundamentally different line of resistance: "the public against businessmen." The conflict is becoming more and more acute because after Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia, investors started to become interested in the republic.
The campaign against the construction of high buildings in Sukhumi was initiated by a well-known social activist, journalist Nadezhda Venediktova. In December and January, she published a series of on-line articles warning against the negative consequences of a transformation of Sukhumi from a single-storey city with its unique character into a faceless miniature metropolis. She was immediately supported by a number of Abkhaz NGOs, a collection of signatures for an appeal to the mayor was initiated, the Public Chamber held an extended meeting with city officials, the Union of Artists and other public organizations on the eve of the New Year.
For Sukhumi intellectuals, this campaign has become a matter of honour. In September 2012, one of the top experts in the architecture of Sukhumi, the head of the public administration for the protection of historical and cultural heritage Agumaa Anzor, a zealous defender of ancient monuments and an an expert on archeology and history, died. The campaign to protect single-storey Sukhumi has become a unique way to honor his memory and to protect his life-work for the intellectual milieu of Sukhumi. To say that the protection of architectural monuments in Sukhumi is relevant is almost to say nothing. The city with a 2500-year history has been severely damaged in street battles in the last twenty years, but it still remains one of the main attractions of Abkhazia. Its value and appeal to tourists is difficult to overestimate.
However, in order to understand the full complexity of the issue, it will not be enough to simply present the arguments of both sides. We need to understand the state in which the capital of Abkhazia has been in for the last twenty years.
During the Georgian-Abkhazian war of 1992-1993, the city had five fierce battles, but they took place almost entirely in the surrounding mountains and villages. There was a battle in the city itself which lasted only for one week. It was the decisive battle of September 1993. Therefore, the historic center of the city remained intact ornearly intact. The greatest damage was caused to the new area of the city, the north-western part of Sukhumi. The new area was built most recently, as is evident from its name, and was a neighborhood with multi-storey buildings, many of which were burned down during the battle and remained uninhabited. Only a very small number of them have been restored since. The new district, with its panelled "boxes", for years looked like Harlem and was in sharp contrast with the coastal part of the city, dominated by one-or two-storey houses. Even if there were multi-storey apartment buildings in the coastal area, they were placed so skillfully that they almost did not stand out, being covered with thick trees. In general, the architects of the Soviet period had good taste and, thanks to their efforts, the new buildings were in harmony with the old mansions. Each street in the city center was "assigned" its own type of tree. Thus, one street was dominated by magnolias, the second by palm trees, the third by oleanders, etc.
Numerous parks, boulevards and flower beds completed the picture. Buildings with nine and even twelve floors did not damage the view because they had been placed not exactly in the center, and at a considerable distance from each other. Thus, the mass construction of high-rise buildings was practised only on the outskirts of Sukhumi.
In the early postwar years, the residents of Gagra, Sukhumi, Ochamchira and other settlements affected by war became accustomed to a life surrounded by ruins which with time became covered with bushes and ivy. Some dilapidated houses were renovated (10-15 years after the war) and turned into hotels, shops, business centers, and homes. Others were demolished. The difficult international situation in Abkhazia did not facilitate an influx of investors, local businessmen were also hesitant to invest. Meanwhile, damaged buildings were becoming landfills and served as shelters for the homeless. Not surprisingly, tourists were shocked at this sight.
