A celebratory reception for Russia Day at the Russian Embassy in Abkhazia turned sour after Ambassador Mikhail Shurgalin engaged in an online argument with critics of the Abkhaz government. Shurgalin dismissed opposition figures and organizations as irrelevant, sparking outrage from six opposition groups who issued a statement demanding an apology. The ambassador defended his comments as a response to criticism of the Abkhazian leadership.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the Abkhaz opposition and Russia, which maintains a close relationship with the Abkhaz government.
Aiashara media channel sharply criticised Shurgalin's comments, emphasising that his assessment of Abkhazia's political landscape was flawed and disrespectful. The media outlet pointed out that Abkhazia's current electoral system does not operate on a strict party-based structure, rendering Shurgalin's categorisation of "marginal" organisations inaccurate and dismissive of a significant portion of Abkhaz society. They noted that this incident is not the first time the ambassador has been accused of interfering in Abkhazia's internal affairs, causing tension within the community.
The event at the Russian embassy was highlighted by the opposition Telegram channel "Republic." A user named "Mikhail," identified by the channel as Russian Ambassador Mikhail Shurgalin, commented on the post. Shurgalin advised the channel’s authors to keep their conclusions to themselves, claiming they were of no interest to anyone. When other users inquired about the criteria for the invitation list, he responded that the main criterion was "their significance for the Republic."
DNews Abkhazia quoted some of the ambassador's comments and stated: "We await an official comment from the Russian Embassy in Abkhazia regarding Ambassador Mikhail Shurgalin's comments on social media!"
Tengiz Dzhopua, a public figure, commented on the situation with the Russian Ambassador to Abkhazia, Mikhail Shurgalin, to "Aiashara." According to Dzhopua, the ambassador should understand that regardless of the political elite, they represent the Abkhazian people.
"The Russian ambassador may not respect the Abkhazian political elite, but he has no right to disrespect the people who vote for and support these politicians. If this is not an official part of Russia's foreign policy towards Abkhazia, the ambassador must be held accountable for his actions," Dzhopua stated.
Public figure Adgur Lagvilava commented on the Russian Ambassador's statement, in which he labelled organisations not represented in Parliament as marginal. "It's important to note that the overwhelming majority, probably 99%, of Abkhazian organisations are not represented in Parliament. Officially, only the Apsny party is represented. There are unique aspects of the Abkhazian political system that the ambassador should be aware of," said Lagvilava.
Lagvilava believes that Abkhazia is currently experiencing the lowest level of intergovernmental relations with Russia, attributing this to the actions of Abkhazian authorities. "As in many other situations, our authorities are trying to remain aloof, and in the absence of a response from the state, society is forced to react and do the work for which we have a government," Lagvilava noted.
Today, on 16 June, Muslims in Abkhazia, like followers of Islam worldwide, celebrate one of the two most important Muslim holidays, the Feast of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha). The holiday is observed on the tenth day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. In Abkhazia, Kurban Bayram (Кәырбанныҳәа in Abkhaz) is a public holiday and a non-working day.
In Sukhum, Muslims continue to perform their prayers in a small mosque. Especially on days like today, many people are unable to fit inside and are forced to pray outside.
A survey conducted by “D News Abkhazia” reveals that citizens consider the fight against corruption the most crucial issue. 43% of respondents prioritised this issue, aligning with past polls showing significant distrust in politicians, with 39% to 51% voting "Against all."
The survey indicates that anti-corruption efforts are currently insufficient and not a priority for the government. Demography is the second most important issue, reflecting the government's lack of focus, evidenced by the dissolution of the Ministry of Demography and Repatriation. Notably, reducing presidential powers was not seen as a priority by citizens, despite experts linking governance issues and corruption to the existing power structure.
Journalist Izida Chania discusses the President Bzhania’s attempts to solidify an authoritarian regime through legal means. Frustrated by opposition, unruly social media, and parliamentary resistance—such as the rejection of his candidate for Gudauta district and unsuccessful attempts to toughen defamation laws—the President now seeks the right to dissolve parliament and eliminate the Cabinet of Ministers. A constitutional law proposal has been submitted to allow the President to restructure the executive branch, dissolve the parliament, and abolish the positions of Prime Minister and Vice Premiers.
In an interview, Kan Kvarchia, a member of parliament, announced his potential candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections in Abkhazia.
The Council of Elders of Sukhum's New District visited local kindergartens to assess the children's proficiency in Abkhaz. The elders emphasised the need for collective efforts to promote the state language in all spheres. Rudik Gerzmava, head of the Council, highlighted the importance of supporting educators in popularising the native language, noting that children are the future of the country. Aldona Amichba, head of "Smiles" kindergarten, acknowledged state support but stressed that more effort is needed from families and society to ensure children grow up speaking Abkhaz.
The BRICS Games, featuring over 5,000 athletes across 27 sports, started in Kazan on 12 June. Abkhazia's national team is participating with 63 athletes competing in sports including wushu, karate, judo, sambo, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, digital football, and basketball. According to Tarash Khagba, head of Abkhazia's State Sports Committee, “For 30 years, we haven't had the chance to represent our country in Olympic sports, making this a significant opportunity for our athletes and a way to promote our nation.”
Vice President Badra Gunba chaired a meeting on the reconstruction of Sukhum International Airport. Key topics included the progress of repair and restoration, crucial for transport infrastructure. Current tasks involve runway repairs and preparation, all proceeding on schedule.
“After the opening of Sukhum Airport, planes will fly to seven Russian cities”, said the President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, in an interview with RIA Novosti at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2024. The plan is for the revamped air hub to service regular flights to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Krasnodar, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, and Kazan.
Internet comments on the president's statements: Questions also arose regarding air traffic between the Abkhaz capital and neighbouring Sochi: "What kind of route is Sukhum – Sochi? A flight of a couple of hundred kilometres, but with less time in the air than during takeoff and landing... Not to mention the ticket price."
On June 25-26, 2024, the 61st round of the Geneva International Discussions on Security and Stability in the Transcaucasus will take place. In preparation, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia, Odyssey Bigvava, met with the co-chairs of the discussions, including Toivo Klaar, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Cihan Sultanoglu from the UN, and Viorel Moșanu, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus.
Scientists from Sevastopol State University, part of an international underwater archaeology expedition, discovered remnants of a medieval structure and ancient amphoras off the Abkhazian coast. Using special equipment and divers, they explored depths of 1 to 60 metres near Gudauta and Sukhum from June to December 2023. The most significant find was in Sukhum Bay, near the mouth of the Basla River, where the ancient city of Dioscuria may have been located, according to Viktor Lebedinsky of the Sevastopol State University.
The FAO project office held a series of training sessions for Abkhazian beekeepers. Since 2019, local beekeepers faced mass bee deaths due to late pest detection and improper treatment. Initially, FAO experts conducted research and identified the tropilaelaps mite. They then provided essential information and a treatment schedule for beekeepers.
Abkhazia's tourism industry has united to amend the current Tourism Law to prevent foreign tour operators from dominating the market. Over 1,000 professionals joined the new headquarters within the first day, supported by various public organisations. The headquarters includes the Association of Tour Operators of Abkhazia, the Union of Tour Guides of Abkhazia, "Abkhazgid" Association, the Abkhazian Tourism Union, the Abkhazian Transfers Community, Alphard Club, and leaders of tourism companies. This unification represents the entire tourism sector workforce.
The Pitsunda International Music Festival 2024, under the artistic direction of Baras Kudzhba, will be held from 29 July to 3 August. Concerts will take place in the Concert Hall of the Pitsunda Temple – the Patriarchal Cathedral in honour of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, built in the early 10th century. This year, the festival features artists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Russia, Türkiye, the USA, and Abkhazia. The Abkhazian State Choir, led by People's Artist of Abkhazia Nodar Chanba, will also perform.
Hoping to share another issue with you next Sunday. Have a great day and a wonderful week!