• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Parliament In Georgia's Breakaway Abkhazia Calls On Separatist Leader To Resign

By RFE/RL's Georgian Service January 09, 2020

The de facto parliament in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia has called on the separatist region's leader, Raul Khadzhimba, to step down.

In a resolution adopted on January 9, the self-styled lawmakers said the move aimed at avoiding "further destabilization in society," which they said could have "irreparable consequences."

After the vote, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Khadzhimba as saying: "I am staying in office and performing my constitutional duties."

Earlier in the day, demonstrators stormed the building housing the de facto presidential administration and demanded the separatist leader's resignation.

An RFE/RL correspondent in the regional capital, Sukhumi, said dozens of protesters broke into the building, breaking almost all of the windows on the first floor while hundreds more outside chanted "Khadzhimba, Go Away!"

Khadzhimba was not thought to be in the building during the incident.

The protesters had first gathered in front of the building of the breakaway region's de facto Supreme Court, which was scheduled to hear opposition presidential candidate Alkhas Kvitsinia's appeal against a lower court's decision to recognize the results of a September "presidential election" won by Khadzhimba.

Minor clashes between pro-Khadzhimba activists and their opponents took place during the rally but no injuries were reported.

Moscow has recognized Abkhazia and Georgia's other separatist region, South Ossetia, as independent states after a five-day Georgia-Russia war in August 2008.

Russian troops are now stationed in the two regions and Georgia and most of the international community consider both regions as occupied territories.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/protesters-in-georgia-s- breakaway-abkhazia-storm-presidential- administration-building/30368433.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.