Civil society wins: Controversial bill on apartments in Abkhazia withdrawn
Apartment bill withdrawn in Abkhazia
The Abkhazian Parliament has withdrawn a controversial bill on apartments, which was lobbied by president Aslan Bzhaniya, in response to public opinion. The decision was made “to reduce tension and maintain stability” in the republic.
An official statement from the Parliament’s press service noted:
“Following prolonged consultations and active intra-parliamentary dialogue, and taking into account public opinion—particularly that of the Council of Elders, Heroes of the Patriotic War of the Abkhazian People, representatives of the scientific community, intellectuals, and other concerned citizens—the initiators of the bill on ‘Measures to Enhance the Socio-Economic Development of the Ochamchira, Tkvarcheli, and Gali Districts of the Republic of Abkhazia’ [the bill on apartments was presented under this guise—editor’s note] have decided to withdraw the bill from consideration and halt further legislative proceedings to reduce tension and preserve stability.”
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Over the past two years, Abkhazian president Aslan Bzhaniya actively lobbied for a law on apartments that would bypass the ban on foreign ownership of residential real estate.
When these attempts failed due to strong public opposition, he tried to advance the law through another means—under the guise of socio-economic rehabilitation measures for the depressed areas of Eastern Abkhazia.
On July 20, the bill was almost unanimously approved during committee hearings and recommended for further consideration at the upcoming parliamentary session.
On the same day, protests began in Sukhumi and quickly spread throughout the republic.
The current composition of the Abkhazian Parliament is considered pro-presidential, with at least 25 out of 35 MPs loyal to Aslan Bzhaniya. One might have expected that the bill lobbied by the president would be passed.
However, it has historically been the case that the final word on controversial issues in Abkhazia rests with the public. When public sentiment does not align with the president’s position, the parliament typically sides with the public. This time was no different.
Voters in each constituency (since the Abkhazian Parliament is elected via a majoritarian system) began summoning their MPs to discuss their stance on the apartment law and to explain why the bill should not be passed.
These discussions seemingly had an impact on most MPs — even those who initially supported the bill changed their positions and publicly opposed it.
As a result, the number of deputies opposing the bill exceeded those in favor, leading to its withdrawal. It is unlikely that the bill will return to the agenda in the near future.
A similar situation occurred at the end of 2023 when the parliament ratified the Russia-Abkhazia agreement to transfer the famous state dacha in Pitsunda to Russia.
Although MPs ratified this unpopular agreement, they also introduced two constitutional amendments that significantly altered its terms. As a result, Moscow refused to conclude the agreement altogether. Ultimately, the outcome aligned with the public’s wishes.
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