Abkhazia will join Union State with Russia, and Russia will buy land in Abkhazia?
Abkhazia will join Union State with Russia
There is a heated discussion in Abkhazia after two simultaneous messages. The Abkhazian president said that the republic wants to join the Union State with Russia; and State Duma deputy Konstantin Zatulin maintained that “it will [thus] be easier to agree on the possibility of Russians buying land in Abkhazia.”
On the first issue, opinion in Abkhazia is divided. But the second question, regarding the possibility of foreigners buying real estate in Abkhazia, has been stubbornly opposed by an absolute majority for years.
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About the Union State
“Russia is close to the people of Abkhazia, it is in the national interest. After the Russian Federation successfully completes the special military operation in Ukraine, there will be a different reality, the outline of a new union state will be created. We are counting on this and are ready to take part,” said the President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhaniya, in the Soloviev LIVE program on August 25.
State Duma deputy Konstantin Zatulin commented that Abkhazia’s entry in the Union State would create “new conditions for a number of issues”, including the simplification of crossing the Abkhazian-Russian border, following the example of the Russian Federation and Belarus.
The later is something that many in Abkhazia especially welcome, given hours-long lines at the checkpoint on the Psou River.
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About the sale of land in Abkhazia to Russians
Zatulin mentioned another consequence of Abkhazia joining the Union State. He said that “it will be easier to agree on the possibility of Russians buying land in Abkhazia.”
He also criticized the opponents of this idea in Abkhaz society:
“The opposition of Abkhazia is trying to sew doubt. They say, if this is allowed today, then tomorrow the Abkhaz will cease to be the masters of their country. But it is clear that no one will take away the land from Abkhazia. And this kind of fear actually impedes the development of Abkhazia.”
According to Abkhazian legislation, land is not up for sale at all. Abkhazian laws also prohibit the sale of real estate to foreigners, including Russians.
But since August 2008, when Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia, Moscow has been regularly raising the question of lifting this prohibition.
Until now, all presidents and parliaments have refused to take that step due to the categorical and almost unanimous opposition in society.
Comment
Abkhaz politician Adgur Lagvilava
“There is a law in Russia according to which foreigners cannot own land in many subjects of the Russian Federation. For example Crimea, Kaliningrad and others.
According to Zatulin, no one will take Abkhazian land. And then what, a nuclear power and a member of the UN Security Council can take the land instead?
Russia needs to protect its interests, but we don’t? Once again we are taken for idiots, and it is doubly unpleasant to hear such things from a person who calls himself a friend of Abkhazia.”
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