Opinion: In Abkhazia, reform constitution before electing new president
Reforming Abkhazia’s constitution
Following the early resignation of a third consecutive president, Abkhazia is once again seeking a way out of the political impasse that the republic repeatedly finds itself in. Many experts, including Public Chamber member Tengiz Dzopua, are convinced that the only way to stop repeating the same mistakes is to undertake constitutional reform.
President Aslan Bzhania was forced to resign on November 19 amidst mass protests against the ratification of an agreement on Russian investments in Abkhazia.
Bzhania had vigorously lobbied for the agreement, which offered unprecedented privileges to Russian investors. However, the opposition, local Abkhaz businesses, and civil society deemed it catastrophic for the republic.
Early presidential elections are set to take place in early February 2025.
Tengiz Dzopua:
The 1994 Constitution was adopted by parliament under difficult circumstances, shortly after the end of the Georgian-Abkhaz war.
Some deputies were against this constitution, which granted the president unlimited powers, but they were assured it was only a temporary measure. As it turned out, it wasn’t. Thirty years have passed, and we’re still governed by the same constitution, which has long since become outdated.
This document continues to be exploited because it allows the president to wield unchecked power, ignore the will of the people, bypass the law, and remain unaccountable.
Today, the Constitution not only fails to protect the rights and interests of citizens but also jeopardizes our future.
It enables those in power to abuse their authority, violate our rights and freedoms without remorse, betray the interests and values of the people, and evade any form of accountability.
This Constitution, along with the system it upholds, will never allow us to escape the cycle of crisis and is steering us toward civil war.
- Op-ed: Another coup, another president ousted – how can Abkhazia break the cycle?
- Abkhazia protests against a controversial investment deal with Russia, demand president’s resignation. 15-16 November, 2024
We urgently need to rethink everything, address our current problems and challenges, and create a new Constitution.
The 1994 Constitution is merely a relic of its time, not a symbol of the struggle, freedom, and independence of our people. These symbols lie within us, within our nation.
We must restore unity in society, strengthen institutions, embrace new ideas, set fresh goals and objectives, and find new hope.
We need a new republic—awakened and reborn.
Three key issues are particularly relevant in this context:
- The lack of accountability for the president, deputies, judges, and officials to the people;
- Chaos and disorganization in the country’s socio-political life, reflected in the ongoing, destructive confrontation between two political camps, which frequently goes beyond the bounds of legality;
- The systematic destruction of societal institutions, the erosion of the nation’s values, and the distortion—and at times, outright perversion—of fundamental ideas and goals.
Addressing these issues requires us to forge a new social contract. Here and now. Not tomorrow, not the day after—today!
No early presidential elections! Reforms first—everything else comes after!
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Reforming Abkhazia’s constitution
