Abkhazia protests against a controversial investment deal with Russia, demand president’s resignation. 15-16 November, 2024

Several hundred protesters remain in the courtyard near the government complex. Video footage shows metal barrels with fires burning inside to keep warm, as the temperature hovers around 6°C. The situation is as follows:

Protesters plan to stay overnight, vowing to remain until President Aslan Bzhania resigns.

President Bzhania remains in his home village of Tamish, where he held a meeting with his cabinet, asserting that officials are at their posts and the government remains in control.

The opposition’s Coordination Council is holding discussions inside the presidential administration building, seized by protesters the night before. Hundreds of protesters are also inside.

Two main proposals are being debated for resolving the impasse: 1. Radical approach: Travel to Tamish to confront the president and force his resignation by any means necessary. 2. Legal approach: Convince parliament members to convene a session to revoke the president’s powers and annul the ratification of the Russia-Abkhazia investment agreement, the original cause of the protests.

The Public Chamber has established a special negotiation group to mediate between the authorities and the opposition, led by former Prime Minister Sokrat Dzhindzholia. Members of the group have met with both the president and opposition leaders to discuss potential solutions to the political crisis. Consultations are set to continue tomorrow.

However, acting Defense Minister Beslan Tsvizhba refused to provide military armored vehicles, citing a law that prohibits the use of military equipment against protests.

A journalist from the Russian state media outlet *Sputnik* asked President Aslan Bzhania, “There are rumors that representatives of the Russian presidential administration will visit Abkhazia. Is this true?” Bzhania replied, “We’ll wait and see.”

Bzhania remains in his hometown of Tamish, where he is currently holding a meeting with his cabinet. “Despite the attempted coup, we continue to work and have shifted to an enhanced operational mode. The entire country remains under the control of the legitimate government, except for the seized government buildings. Some security forces are still in position,” the president said.

The sole demand is the immediate resignation of President Aslan Bzhania.

One of the opposition leaders, Adgur Ardzinba, addressed the thousands of protesters who have been gathered outside the government building complex since yesterday. “I have one question for you. President Aslan Bzhania has proposed that he is willing to resign if we vacate the presidential administration building. Vice President Badra Gunba would take over as acting president, and Bzhania would call early presidential elections, in which he plans to run. I want to know your opinion—do you agree with this?”

The crowd responded in unison, shouting, “No, he must leave immediately!”

Meanwhile, in the meeting hall of the Presidential Administration, which Aslan Bzhaniya has demanded to be vacated, a meeting of the opposition coordination council is taking place with representatives of the intelligentsia. Here are some quotes from the meeting:

Artist Nugzar Logua, former advisor to President Aslan Bzhaniya: “We are one people, we have nothing to divide. President Aslan Bzhaniya pursued an anti-popular policy and did not consider anyone. The intelligentsia meant nothing to him, nor did the Council of Elders. The opposition even less so. Bzhaniya wanted to erase all of Abkhazia’s historical path to freedom and the worthy preservation of our ethnicity. He wanted to give our land, soaked in blood, to his oligarch friends, thereby depriving our people of a future.”

One of the opposition leaders, Adgur Ardzinba: “Bzhaniya is making desperate attempts to cling to power, but he will not succeed. Our task is to make him understand that his time is up. He needs to leave quietly and peacefully, and then we will leave as well.”

In the president’s hometown of Tamysh, where he went last night, he is currently holding a meeting with his supporters. The president’s press service reports that residents from other villages are also attending. Aslan Bzhaniya stated: “They say I left Abkhazia, but here I am, in Abkhazia. We are gathered not to preserve my power, but to preserve the statehood of Abkhazia. Those currently in the presidential administration (which was seized by thousands of protesters last night) must leave. After that, I will announce new elections and resign.”

Two statements from the Abkhazian government:

1. President Aslan Bzhaniya did not sign the document to withdraw the Russian investment agreement from parliament, according to his press service. Yesterday, the same press service reported that a decision had been made to withdraw the agreement.

2. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reports that it is controlling the situation, “despite the challenging domestic political situation in the republic.”

The coordination council stated: “Aslan Bzhania is making desperate attempts to maintain the illusion of power by clinging to formalities. His time in office has effectively ended. What is happening in Abkhazia today is a natural response from society to Aslan Bzhania’s anti-people policies, focused solely on enriching his relatives and a small circle of close associates. Our goal is to secure Bzhania’s resignation and stabilize the political situation in the country. We assure you that all essential institutions of the republic continue to operate as normal.”

The night passed without major developments in Abkhazia. President Aslan Bzhaniya, who refused to resign despite expectations from the opposition and thousands of protesters, briefly disappeared from the public eye in the early hours but later resurfaced. He posted a video on social media confirming his presence in his hometown of Tamish. The opposition had claimed he had taken refuge at a Russian military base. However, questions remain about where Bzhaniya went after filming the video in the village.

According to the opposition’s coordination headquarters, volunteers guarded the government buildings occupied by protesters throughout the night. Statements continue to be made that the people will not disperse until Bzhaniya signs his resignation.

An hour has passed, the time the opposition gave the president to announce his resignation. The situation is strange. First, Aslan Bzhaniya’s whereabouts are unknown after he stated that he would not resign and would continue working with his cabinet. His press service reported that he “went to his hometown of Tamish.” This surprised many, as the president, amidst a massive protest and occupied government buildings, left at night for a village. The opposition claimed that in reality, Aslan Bzhaniya had relocated to a Russian military base. Meanwhile, after Bzhaniya’s departure, his supporters and nearly all security forces left the territory of the State Security Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The second question: Why did Bzhaniya suddenly announce that he would stay in power, even though, according to negotiators, his resignation was a done deal, and the only task left was to choose an acting president for the crisis period? “The only reason Aslan Bzhaniya changed his mind about resigning is a directive from Russian curators—whether from Moscow or local embassy officials,” writes the Telegram channel ABKHAZIA-CENTER.

One of the opposition leaders, Adgur Ardzinba, stated that “Aslan Bzhaniya is misleading the Russian security forces and telling them complete nonsense: supposedly, the protesters are preparing to attack Russian border posts.”

“Such nonsense is impossible to imagine. Russia is our strategic partner, and no citizen of Abkhazia could ever think of such provocations against our only security guarantor. The people’s protest is solely against Bzhaniya’s destructive policies. The main and only demand of the people, after all the provocations from the authorities, is the president’s resignation. Aslan Bzhaniya, in his agony, is trying to cling to his chair by all possible means. But this is no longer possible — the people will stand firm until the end.”

Opposition envoys have delivered this message to the president. Opposition leaders stated that if the demand is not met, thousands of protesters will march to seize the State Security Service building, where Aslan Bzhaniya is currently located. They seized the presidential administration building several hours ago.

Aslan Bzhaniya addressed his supporters, stating:

“Today’s events have once again brought significant challenges to our republic. The leadership of Abkhazia—the president, vice president, prime minister, and government members—remain in their positions and will continue to carry out their duties. I urge you not to fall for provocations. I am here, in Abkhazia, and we will continue our work. We will strive to mitigate the consequences of these events. I thank all civilians and uniformed personnel for their support and service.”

Video by Nuzhnaya Gazeta

Opposition deputy Kan Kvarchia provided an update on the ongoing negotiations with the still-president Aslan Bzhania. The main topic of discussion is who will become the acting president. There are currently three options, according to Kvarchia:

1. The authorities propose appointing the current vice president, Badra Gumba, as acting president, and appointing a representative from the united opposition as the head of the cabinet.

2. The opposition suggests appointing the speaker of parliament, Lasha Ashuba, as acting president.

3. The third option is to find an outside candidate, a compromise figure, who would combine the roles of acting president and prime minister.

The speaker of parliament, Lasha Ashuba, has returned after meeting with Aslan Bzhania, and negotiations are currently underway with representatives of the Coordination Council to resolve the political crisis created by the united opposition and public organizations. The main topic of discussion is expected to be who will assume the role of acting president following Bzhania’s resignation.

Several thousand people continue to stand near the complex of government buildings, which is fully controlled by the protesters. Everyone is waiting for Aslan Bzhania’s official resignation.

Update from the political group AIAŠARA: “A group of deputies, led by the speaker, is currently at the State Security Service, where the president is also located, and they are negotiating with him about his resignation. As we know, this is the third delegation attempting to explain the gravity of the situation to the president. The demand for his resignation is the demand of the people, who will not allow the country to be destroyed and their children deprived of a future in Abkhazia. A large number of security forces have gathered at the State Security Service building. Bžania refuses to leave office, and the previous delegations sent to negotiate with him returned empty-handed.

All the questions the people are asking the president are internal matters; they have nothing to do with our friendly country, Russia. It’s important to understand that there are issues where we may be open to compromise, but there are others where we cannot concede, as these are issues crucial for the future of our country—issues for which many people have given their lives. We are waiting to see what the current delegation brings back.”

A representative of AIAŠARA reports from the presidential administration building, which was seized by thousands of protesters several hours ago.

The Telegram channel Abkhazia Centre raises interesting questions: “Where are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Duma, the Federation Council, Maria Zakharova, Margarita Simonyan, and other figures who are usually outraged by any free thought or disobedience? Yet, in the allied Abkhazia, where Russian troops are stationed, where Russian border guards are on duty, where Russia is building an airport, the pro-Russian agreement was not ratified, and the president sent from Moscow was overthrown. Unprecedented disobedience. But Moscow remains silent. Could they be planning something?”

Protesters who occupied the presidential administration building removed the plaque with Aslan Bzhaniya’s name from his office door and threw it in the trash.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement: “Russia is closely monitoring the developments in our neighboring and friendly country, Abkhazia, where internal political contradictions have once again escalated. Unfortunately, the opposition forces have not considered it possible to resolve their differences with the legitimate government through civilized, respectful dialogue, and have stepped outside the legal framework, provoking the escalation of the conflict. As a result, a crisis situation has emerged in the republic, and, regardless of its outcome, this hampers Abkhazia’s development. Specifically, it is clear that scenarios like the current one do not contribute to attracting foreign investments, which are a significant factor in the socio-economic progress of the republic.

While Russia does not interfere in Abkhazia’s internal processes, we hope that the situation will be resolved solely through peaceful political means. At the same time, it is essential that the laws of Abkhazia are strictly observed, including those concerning the maintenance of public order.

Given the current circumstances, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been forced to recommend that Russian citizens refrain from traveling to Abkhazia, including for tourism. For those Russians temporarily staying in the country, it is important to exercise increased caution, avoid areas of unrest, and, if possible, leave the country.”

One of the opposition leaders, Adgur Ardzaiba, provided an update on the situation: “We are receiving information that the current president is trying to mislead our strategic partner, Russia, by claiming that a coup has been carried out in Abkhazia by pro-Turkish, pro-Western forces. Aslan Bzhaniya is now sitting and calling Moscow with this agenda. This is an absolute lie.

Last night, we made one final attempt. We met with the deputies and asked them to remove the agreement from the agenda to calm the people down. Our proposal was ignored. Today, when we gathered for a parliamentary session, we again asked the deputies to calm the public and remove this issue from the agenda.

The main point of our proposals was this: presidential elections were supposed to take place in a few months. No one here wanted this kind of situation. We suggested that the president include the issue of the agreement in his election program. If the people support it, so be it. But he ignored that proposal.

Over the past two and a half years, Aslan Bzhaniya has refused any dialogue. The climax was his statement to the security forces that there is nothing to discuss with us and that they should consider us all extremists. Despite this, we tried to persuade him that we didn’t want an extreme situation. We said, let’s approach the elections calmly.

Then you know what happened. The deputies failed to gather and refused to withdraw the ratification of the agreement as we asked. The president could not respond to the justified demands of the people and ignored them. A group of deputies was formed and sent to the president. The only question is: the president’s resignation and early presidential elections.

At the moment, we are waiting for an answer. We asked Bzhaniya to step down to prevent the situation from worsening and to avoid clashes. We hope that those who went for negotiations will return with a positive result.”

Protesters have occupied the offices of the president’s administration and refuse to leave until he resigns.

Opposition representatives went to the president with an ultimatum demanding his resignation. It seems that Aslan Bzhania’s administration does not fully grasp the new reality. Just half an hour ago, they released a statement about withdrawing the agreement on Russian investments, a decision that now appears belated in the face of the demand for the president’s resignation.

The main hall of the presidential administration has been occupied by protesters. They intend to wait for Bzhaniya’s resignation.

The situation has sharply escalated again, with a thousands-strong crowd breaking down doors and windows of the parliament building and entering the premises.

The press service of the President of Abkhazia reports: “Currently, the presidential administration is preparing a document to withdraw the draft law ‘On the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of Abkhazia and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Implementation of Investment Projects by Russian Legal Entities in the Territory of the Republic of Abkhazia’ from Parliament. This decision has been made in order to stabilize the situation in the republic.”

The situation outside the Abkhazian parliament remains calm. Inside the presidential administration building, talks between government and opposition representatives are underway. Members of parliament have entered the building, though it is unclear who is part of each group. President Aslan Bzhania is reportedly not present.

Experts suggest the discussions will likely address not only the rejection of the agreement’s ratification but also the possibility of the president’s early resignation. Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba and Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab are expected to participate in the negotiations.

Protesters brought in trucks and tore down the fence around the government building complex. The security forces are offering little resistance.

The situation has escalated; the crowd is trying to break into the government buildings, and while security forces are resisting, their response is not very forceful.

The authorities clearly anticipated a large protest, as they had been preparing for it since the night before. The city center was blocked off, with hundreds of military vehicles and trucks surrounding the area around government buildings, and thousands of law enforcement officers were concentrated there. Of the 35 parliament members, 21 attended the morning session. The others, who were government supporters, gave various reasons for their absence—some claimed they were hospitalized, while others said they had to urgently leave for personal matters.

In the past week, voters in different regions of Abkhazia held meetings with their deputies to convince them not to ratify the agreement. Many deputies promised they would not vote in favor. On October 12, following one of these meetings, five opposition members were detained on charges of hooliganism. In response, the opposition staged a protest, leading to the release of the detainees.