Why are pensions in Abkhazia so low? Officials explain
A 71-year-old resident of Abkhazia Marina Kachubeevna recently submitted documents to apply for Russian citizenship. Without a Russian passport, she cannot receive a Russian pension, which is relatively generous by local standards.
Her Abkhaz pension, which totals 6,000 roubles [$65] a month including all basic payments and supplements, is not enough to live on. So the woman has to continue working to have money of her own.
“I have wonderful children. My son and daughter-in-law never refuse me anything. When I started having health problems last year, they took full responsibility for paying for my medicines and doctors.
But every time I have to ask them for money for the pharmacy or basic personal needs, I feel uncomfortable. I don’t want to be a burden. At 71, I want to remain independent and be able to buy even small gifts for my grandchildren myself, without having to ask my children for the money,” Marina Kachubeevna says.
This desire to ease the financial burden on her family is the only reason she decided to apply for Russian citizenship.
Intergenerational solidarity and the reality of pension payments
The story of Marina Kachubeevna reflects broader systemic trends in Abkhazia’s social welfare system.
At present, around 33,000 people receive the basic old-age pension of 6,000 roubles. As the chairman of the republic’s Pension Fund, Denis Gularia, acknowledges, this amount falls far short of what is needed to live on.
However, Gularia points to a traditional model of social support in Abkhaz society, based on assistance from relatives.
“There is such a concept as intergenerational solidarity: children should help their parents. Of course, some pensioners do not have children, but this is the kind of society we have. Neighbours help each other as much as they can.
We constantly hear criticism directed at us. We hear it and understand it. But people have to help each other,” the Pension Fund chairman says.
He also stresses that the number of people receiving additional domestic payments continues to grow:
“The number of people receiving supplementary payments is approaching 17,000 and will continue to grow. Many of our citizens no longer have enough Soviet-era work experience to qualify for a pension from Russia’s Social Fund, so they will receive only our payments. We will try to find the funds to increase these payments in the future.”
41,000 workers supporting 50,000 pensioners
The main obstacle to a significant increase in pensions is the imbalance between the number of officially employed residents and the number of people receiving pensions and benefits.
According to statistics, Abkhazia has a working-age population of 144,000. Of these, around 40,000–41,000 people officially work and pay social insurance contributions. Meanwhile, around 51,000 people receive supplementary payments or pensions.
“With this ratio, high pensions are simply impossible. The remaining part of the population, around 100,000 people, work but do not contribute to the Pension Fund,” Gularia explains.
Commercial businesses also create an additional problem by avoiding full payment of social insurance contributions:
“Unfortunately, not everyone declares their full salary. The minimum salary in commercial organisations here is 20,000 roubles [$215]**. But if someone earns more, employers and employees often agree to declare only the minimum.
People themselves should have an interest in ensuring that social insurance contributions are paid. Remember, the contributions made by the 40,000 people who work today support the entire older generation.”
Reforms, collection orders and individual records
To change the situation, the Pension Fund plans to introduce individual records for insurance contributions and tighten fiscal discipline.
“A flat-rate system is unfair to those who pay honestly. One person pays contributions based on their actual salary, while another declares the minimum, yet they both receive the same pension. That is unfair.
Once we introduce individual records for insurance contributions, it will benefit people who plan to remain economically active: in addition to the basic 6,000 roubles, they will receive substantial payments based on the contributions recorded in their personal account,” Gularia says.
At the same time, the fund is actively working with employers who fail to meet their obligations. According to the chairman, the agency can issue collection orders when contributions are overdue. A collection order allows a bank to debit money from a payer’s account without prior consent. In 2025, the fund recovered 49.9 million roubles [around $537,000] in this way.
Some businesses also voluntarily repay old debts.
“We need to adopt legislation that strengthens the responsibility of managers and accountants who fail to submit reports on time,” Gularia says.
Re-registration for oversight and transparency
The re-registration of pensioners, which runs from 1 September to 1 December 2026, is another necessary step towards putting the system in order.
“There are cases when relatives do not always register a pensioner’s death promptly or submit the death certificate to social welfare offices. The money saved as a result of these checks will go into a fund for future increases in supplementary payments to the most vulnerable groups,” the official explains.
Apparently, bringing businesses out of the shadow economy, introducing individual records and ensuring that people pay their contributions properly offer the only way to ensure that, in a few years, pensioners such as Marina Kachubeevna can retire without financial worries, feel secure and afford to buy gifts for their grandchildren without having to work at the age of 71.
The terminology, place names and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this website.
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