Russia Suspends Funding for Occupied Abkhazia Amid Growing Tensions
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, September 5, 2024
On September 3, Sergei Shamba, the de-facto foreign minister of Russia-occupied Abkhazia, announced that Russia had suspended its funding for the region as of September 1. "On September 1, social funding was stopped, which affects doctors, teachers, law enforcement, and so on. These are the first steps", Shamba stated during a press conference, noting that Abkhazia will now have to pay for electricity at commercial rates.
This suspension follows widespread public discontent in Abkhazia over the now-withdrawn "Apartment Law", which would have allowed non-residents, primarily Russians, to purchase thousands of apartments in the eastern part of the occupied region. The law had sparked significant opposition among the local population, who saw it as benefiting Russians at the expense of Abkhaz interests.
Shamba expressed concern over the deteriorating relationship between Abkhazia and Russia. "It is absolutely clear that a lot of discontent has accumulated in our allies [Russia] recently. The relationships have changed significantly. It's not what it used to be at the beginning," he said, reflecting on the early days of Russia's recognition of Abkhazia. He urged for collective efforts to improve relations with Russia, calling for cooperation through media and social networks to address the negative perceptions that have developed. "Let's all work together to address this-through the media, social networks, and everywhere-to correct this attitude," Shamba emphasized.
This development comes on the heels of a leaked document titled "Protocol of the meeting between Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration, and Aslan Bzhania, President of Abkhazia," which recently surfaced on Abkhazian social media. The document reportedly directs Russian government agencies to take measures to compel Abkhazia to "fulfill its obligations" to Moscow. It also threatens cuts in funding and the revocation of Russian citizenship for Abkhaz MPs and opposition members who opposed the "Apartment Law" and acted "to the detriment of the interests of the Russian Federation and the development of Russian-Abkhaz relations."
Shamba did not confirm the authenticity of the document but acknowledged that the issues it raised had been discussed in meetings between Abkhaz and Russian officials. "We cannot verify it as an authentic document, although the issues raised in it were repeatedly discussed at various meetings, including at the meeting between the President of Abkhazia and the Administration of the President of Russia," Shamba stated. He warned that failure to meet obligations could lead to sanctions from Russia.
