Tensions flare in Abkhazia as parliament pushes ahead with ‘pro-Russian’ law on apartments

Tensions have continued to flare in Abkhazia, as parliament continues to push ahead with controversial legislation that could open Abkhazia’s real estate market to Russian buyers.

The law on apartments, since officially renamed to the draft law ‘on measures to improve the level of socio-economic development of eastern Abkhazia’, would amend regulations surrounding the construction, operation, and sale of apartments in Abkhazia.

The sale of real estate to foreigners in Abkhazia has long been a point of contention between the authorities in Sukhumi (Sukhum) and Moscow, and has until now been banned.

It remains unclear if President Aslan Bzhanya has enough support in parliament to push through the legislation.

Since the legislation passed its first parliamentary committee hearings on 17 July, Abkhazian MPs have been holding public consultations throughout Abkhazia over the issue, with at least 12 of 35 MPs already stating publicly they intend to vote against the bill.

‘We know for sure that 17 or even 18 MPs are already saying that they will vote against [the bill], there are those who are wavering, there are those who are keeping silent for now’, Inar Gitsba, an MP opposed to the legislation told constituents on Tuesday. A day later, opposition media reported that the number of MPs who had pledged to vote against the law had risen to 24. 

At least eight other MPs will almost certainly vote in favour of the law.

The position of the Speaker of Parliament, Lasha Ashuba remains unclear. However, the opposition have speculated he may have made his position clear by refusing the president’s request to hold an urgent session to adopt the bill.

In contrast, in December, Ashuba agreed to hold an emergency session at 05:00 in the morning to vote through controversial legislation handing control of the Pitsunda State Dacha to the Russian Federal Protective Service.

‘Lasha has proven himself to be a principled politician’, one former MP told OC Media of his latest actions. ‘He is young and has something to lose, he does not want to be labelled a traitor at the very beginning of his career.’

On the night of 19–20 July, opposition leaders demanded the bill not even be brought before MPs and that a moratorium on the issue of construction and sale of apartments be put in place.

It came a day after protests erupted near Parliament as the bill was pushed through the committee stage. 

In response, the opposition convened a public gathering in the House of Culture in Ochamchira (Ochamchire), the centre of eastern Abkhazia, where the authorities intend to implement the draft law. 

According to opposition media, at least 5,000 people gathered to protest the bill. Pro-government media, however, claimed the majority of those gathered were supporters of the construction of apartments. 

After scuffles broke out and protesters were pushed away from the building’s entrance, the meeting was relocated to the village of Mokva, a traditional venue for mass events in Abkhazia. Protesters then proceeded to Sukhumi (Sukhum).

Representatives of law enforcement agencies have pushed out protesters against the bill that would allow foreign citizens to create apart-hotels in Abkhazia from the front of the house of culture in Ochamchire.

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‘Our goal is to show that there are many of us, that we are organised and ready to do whatever it takes’, one of the protesters told OC Media. ‘If necessary, we are ready to start acts of disobedience’.

The date of the parliamentary session to consider the bill has not yet been set, though it is expected to be held in the week of 29 July–2 August.

‘Preparations for the session are underway now’, one former Abkhazian MP told OC Media. ‘MPs must come to it prepared; that is, confident that their position will be supported by the people and those whom they consider authorities. For some, this is the president, for others, [Prime Minister] Alexander Ankvab’, he said. 

‘MPs are bound by obligations. Honest ones with the people who voted for them, and dishonest ones with the politicians who paid for their ascension to parliament’, he added. ‘We will soon find out whether we belong to the people or to the oligarchy.’

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