Scandal in Abkhazia over arrival of businessman with Georgian citizenship
Georgian-Russian citizenship in Abkhazia
Russian businessman Erasty Bukia, who holds dual Russian-Georgian citizenship, entered Abkhazia, visited a house he owned before the Georgian-Abkhaz war of 1992-93, and publicly declared that he “will definitely return to live in Abkhazia” and that “there is no Abkhazia, there is only a united Georgia.”
The Abkhaz State Security Service announced that he has been expelled from the republic. However, the public discussion continues to focus on an important detail:
Bukia was vouched for by Orkhan Shamba, the deputy trade representative of Abkhazia in Moscow, who is the son of the head of the Abkhaz Security Council, Sergey Shamba.
At least, this is according to the authors of the Telegram channel “Abkhaz Portal,” citing their sources within the State Security Service.
The Telegram channel reports that the State Security Service was told Bukia was a Russian entrepreneur with significant connections, allegedly having worked in one of the ministries of Abkhazia. The stated purpose of his visit was to attend a funeral, after which he was supposed to return to Russia.
The State Security Service found that Bukia, an ethnic Georgian, was born in Abkhazia, left in 1992, and did not participate in military actions, so he was granted permission to enter.
However, after attending the funeral ceremony, Erasti Bukia did not immediately return to Russia. Instead, he went to the village of Tsandrypsh, to the house where he had lived before the war.
Residents of the village called the State Security Service. Bukia was picked up, taken for questioning, and subsequently deported.
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Outraged veterans of the Georgian-Abkhaz war have contacted Orkhan Shamba and are demanding a meeting. Many social media users consider him to be the main culprit of this incident.
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