Abkhazia threatens to declare Russian experts as ‘undesirable persons’ for calls to join Russia

Abkhazia threatens to declare Russian experts ‘undesirable’

Abkhazia has threatened foreign experts demanding a change in the independent status of the republic. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia stated that it is ready to declare every political scientist engaged in such an idea an undesirable person – “persona non grata”, which implies, among other things, a ban on entry into Abkhazia.

Sukhum reacted negatively the idea of ​​holding a referendum on Abkhazia joining the Russian Federation, which was proposed by some of Russia’s political and expert circles.

Abkhazia’s refusal to follow South Ossetia, whose president Anatoly Bibilov announced his intention to hold a referendum and become part of Russia, caused a wave of accusations from some Russian political scientists of the “ungratefulness” of the Abkhazians and the need to resolve the issue against their will.

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The statements of the President of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania, coupled with similar statements by the Speaker of the Parliament Valery Kvarchiy and the head of the Security Council of Abkhazia Sergei Shamba, that Abkhazia has long been self-determined and does not plan to become part of Russia, were largely ignored or overlooked by some politicians in Moscow.

“We need to react less to the statements of individual politicians”, State Duma deputy Maria Butina said. “If a decision is made to hold a referendum, and the majority of people vote in favor [ of joining Russia], such a decision will be made”.

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Meanwhile, according to the legislation of Abkhazia, the status of an independent republic is not subject to any changes. There are various protective mechanisms of a legal nature ensuring this.

For example, if Abkhazia adopts a new constitution, the article of the law, which refers to the sovereign status of the state, will remain unchanged.

Moreover, the Criminal Code of Abkhazia provides for a whole bunch of punishments even for a public call for a revision of the independent status of the republic. That is, an Abkhazian politician who, for example, declares the need to hold a referendum on joining Russia, can go to prison for 15 years.

“We paid attention to the statements of various political scientists who question the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Abkhazia.

State sovereignty, independence, and international legal personality of the Republic of Abkhazia are indisputable and cannot be a subject for discussion. Such calls pursue an unpromising goal of creating a negative background for the Abkhaz-Russian interstate relations”, the Abkhaz Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The official Sukhum noted that in the event of “continuation of attempts to build a negative information background around the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia reserves the right to use the mechanism of declaring “persona non grata” against biased political scientists”.

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