"The president is to blame for every second death." Why Abkhazia is asking for Russia’s help in the fight against the pandemic

The Minister of Defense of Abkhazia Vladimir Anua appealed to his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu with a request to open a field hospital for 500 beds in Abkhazia to treat patients with coronavirus. This followed after the opposition criticized the authorities for insufficient measures to combat the pandemic.

The request of the Minister of Defense is explained by a sharp deterioration in the epidemiological situation in the republic and a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Over the past day in Abkhazia, 86 people were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19. In total, 1466 people are currently ill. Of these, 173 people are in the only COVID hospital in the republic. 28 people have a serious condition, 34 – moderate severity. The count of lethal cases is 23.

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Demands of the opposition

Perhaps this is a coincidence, but a few hours before the official address of the minister, the opposition organization of veterans of the war with Georgia, Aruaa, sharply criticized the country’s leadership for passive behavior in the fight against the pandemic.

In mid-September, Aruaa already approached President Aslan Bzhania and suggested that he asked Moscow to deploy a mobile military hospital in Abkhazia.

However, the president did not react to this proposal. Later Aruaa made another call:

“In such an extremely difficult situation, we consider it a criminal negligence on the part of the President and the Prime Minister to ignore our proposal. If this week the leadership of our country does not officially turn to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a request to open a hospital, we will start collecting signatures and ask for help from the President of Russia on behalf of the People of Abkhazia. We will blame the President and Prime Minister of Abkhazia for at least every second death from COVID-19,” – said the statement from Aruaa.

New restrictions

Now Abkhazia is officially asking Russia to open a field hospital. Simultaneously, by decree of President Aslan Bzhania, additional restrictive measures have been introduced due to the increase in the number of coronavirus cases.

In particular, all educational institutions, as well as children’s sports and cultural sections are closed again in the country.

The activities of cultural institutions – theaters, exhibition halls, libraries, museums – are also prohibited. The state body ordered to release all employees over 60 years of age from work with preservation of wages, and the same is recommended to commercial organizations.

The work of spa and massage parlors and saunas has been suspended.

The new measures will be in effect from October 15 to November 24.

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