Ankvab Appoints New FM

Abkhaz leader, Alexander Ankvab, appointed Vyacheslav Chirikba as the breakaway region’s new foreign minister, replacing Maxim Gvinjia, Abkhaz news agency, Apsnipress, reported on October 11.

Vyacheslav Chirikba has served as a foreign policy advisor to late Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh and was Abkhaz negotiator at the Geneva talks.

Also on October 11 Ankvab re-appointed Merab Kishmaria on the post of defense minister; he has held this position since 2007. Rauf Tsimtsba, minister in charge of taxes, has also retained his post.

A day after inauguration, new Abkhaz leader Alexander Ankvab appointed on September 27 Leonid Lakerbaia as prime minister of the breakaway region, replacing Sergey Shamba who was a runner up in the last month’s snap presidential election. The move followed by resignations from other ministers in the breakaway region’s cabinet; but they continue to perform duties before new PM nominates candidates for the ministerial posts.