Newspaper: Disagreement Grows in Abkhaz Government

In an article published on May 27, the Georgian daily 24 Hours speculates that recent statements and criticism against President of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh voiced by Secretary of National Security Council Stanislav Lakoba has undermined the unity of the government of the unrecognized republic.

Lakoba, who was appointed on this position in February, filed resignation on May 10, but President Bagapsh turned it down. Lakoba cited disagreements over foreign policy issues as well as over some of the new appointments in the government as the reason behind his attempt to resign.

?Despite the fact that Lakoba retains position of Secretary of National Security Council, his opposition stance towards President Bagapsh is becoming more and more vivid,? the 24 Hours writes.

The first signs of disagreement appeared in April, when Stanislav Lakoba harshly criticized Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba for traveling in the South Tyrol autonomy in Italy, together with the Georgian delegation. This UN-organized trip aimed at familiarizing the conflicting sides with the extensive autonomy of South Tyrol, which could serve as a model for Abkhaz-Georgian conflict resolution.

Later, Stanislav Lakoba again criticized the Foreign Minister of breakaway region for signing on May 12 a protocol over security measures in Abkhazia?s pre-dominantly Georgian-populated Gali district, according to the 24 Hours. State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava signed this protocol from the Georgian side.

The paper writes that Stanislav Lakoba is not engaged in backstage political games and always voices his position and criticism openly.

Prof. Stanislav Lakoba was always regarded as a close ally of Bagapsh and was his running mate for the Vice-President?s position in last October?s presidential elections. However, after a powersharing agreement was signed between Bagapsh and Raul Khajimba, who is currently the Vice-President, Lakoba had to abandon his plans to become the Vice-President. Lakoba was a member of Abkhaz Parliament in 1992-1993 and the Vice-Speaker of Parliament in 1994-1996.

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