Moscow is cutting back on aid, tired of waiting for reciprocity from Abkhazia.
Photo: Shutterstock.
Apparently, interesting changes are in store for the quiet and sleepy life of Abkhazia. This has been felt for a long time, but it was only officially confirmed on September 4. Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba had to say:
“Since September 1, funding has been suspended (to Russia – Ed.) for some payments that concern doctors, teachers, law enforcement agencies and others. In addition, there is a doubt that there will be any flow from now on. “The cost of electricity, which we face every time in winter, will be paid at commercial prices,” he said.
And not at half price, as before.
Shamba’s words were also quoted by the prestigious Russian news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti, which indicates the seriousness of the situation.
Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba. Photo: Abaza-TV / frame from the video.
All this seemed to be a great surprise to Sukhum, who was accustomed to constant complaints from Moscow, which did not follow anything. And the sun was still generous, the sea was warm, Russian tourists traveled, tangerines sang, pensions and benefits for state employees at Russia’s expense arrived on time.
And Russia has long been pleading with Abkhazia “in a friendly manner” to be mutually beneficial, or at least to meet all the characteristics of an allied country. For example, to allow Russians to buy real estate in Abkhazia, albeit not residential, but at least commercial (here they call it the “Apartment Law”), to mutually recognize the decisions of Russian arbitration courts, and to legally guarantee the rights of investors.
The clouds have been gathering for a long time. And then a thunderclap struck: a curious document appeared on the Internet: allegedly a copy of the protocol of negotiations between the deputy head of the Russian presidential administration Dmitry Kozak and the president of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania. It speaks of the measures that Russia will take in case of non-compliance with the agreement.
It is difficult to say about its authenticity (at least Shamba did not officially confirm it), but according to the third point of this protocol, which was also cited by TASS and RIA Novosti, Sukhum will provide Moscow with information about the leaders of the Abkhaz opposition, which prevents the adoption of laws necessary to consider the issue of possible deprivation of their Russian citizenship…
Abkhaz Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab. Photo: ITAR-TASS.
Now in Sukhum they are thinking about how to make peace with Moscow and how to persuade the Abkhaz parliament deputies to vote in favour of the necessary bills and at the same time not provoke unrest in the republic.
And on the other hand, how long can the country survive without Russian help?
So far, Abkhaz Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab has reacted stoically to Moscow’s gesture. His government stated that “despite the partial suspension of Russian financial assistance, the Abkhaz side will guarantee the accepted budgetary obligations to pay salaries to social workers, including by reducing other budgetary expenditures. More than 700 million rubles will be allocated for these purposes by the end of the year.”
Which, by the way, proves that there is money in the republic and that Moscow has not completely cut off the country’s food supply. If this happens and the proud republic lives “alone”, anything can happen. Maybe even… God knows what.
Everyone understands this and my prediction (I know Abkhazia very well) is that the parties will come to an agreement.
