Reactions to Transfer of Occupied Abkhazia’s Bichvinta Dacha to Russia
On December 27, at a special session held at 6 a.m., ahead of the previously declared date and time, the de facto Parliament of occupied Abkhazia ratified the agreement on the transfer of the Bichvinta (the so-called “Pitsunda state dacha”) to Russia for a 49-year lease [ed.- the residence and its dependencies cover the land plot of 4 sq. Km]. The opponents of the law have been protesting against the decision since December 26.
Civil.ge collected the statements by the Georgian authorities and the opposition.
President
President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili strongly condemned “another land grab by Russians in Georgian territories and their creeping annexation policies.” She wrote: “The strong popular reaction we see around the Bichvinta transfer is a direct result of continued occupation.” President Zurabishvili called on the international community “for a strong and urgent reaction.”
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia called the “ratification of the agreement” on the transfer of Bichvinta “an another illegal act and the continuation of Russia’s policy of occupation of the indivisible regions of Georgia, which grossly violates the fundamental principles of international law.”
According to the MFA, as per the international law, under the occupation regime “the ratification” has no legality and is void. The MFA is calling on the international community “to properly assess the Russian Federation’s yet another illegal step towards undermining Georgia’s sovereignty and the territorial integrity.”
The MFA calls on the Russian Federation to respect Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to fulfill its obligations, including under the 2008 ceasefire agreement brokered by the European Union.
Parliamentary majority
Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee from the ruling Georgian Dream party wrte: “We strongly condemn this illegal act and declare all legal actions carried out during occupation null and void,” adding that “this will be remedied once Georgia restores its jurisdiction over Abkhazia.”
Public Defender
Levan Ioseliani, Public Defender of Georgia, called the decision of the de-facto legislative body of the occupied Abkhazia “concerning,” and violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.
According to Ioseliani, the disposal of state real estate property in the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia can only be carried out under the Georgian legislation.
Opposition
According to Giorgi Gakharia, leader of the opposition For Georgia party, “Russia took another step towards annexation of occupied Abkhazia against the background of Georgian Dream’s policy of anti-pragmatic silence.” Gakharia said that the occupation regime in Sokhumi, accommodating Russia’s request, gave it the Bichvinta resort “totally neglecting the will of Georgian and Abkhaz people.” “Such “decisions” are illegal. Together with our Abkhaz compatriots, we should reclaim back our land.”
Teona Akubardia, a member of the parliamentary opposition Reform Group, called the transfer a “de -facto annexation of Bichvinta” and a “tribute” demanded by Russian President Vladimir Putin from Abkhazian society. Akubardia believes that this will not be the last case of annexation. “In this context, we see how irrelevant the positions and attitudes of the Georgian government are to the national interest of territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
Saba Buadze of the opposition Lelo for Georgia party called the transfer a “tragedy” and a demonstration that Russia, acting only in its self-interest, “does not take into account even its puppet regime”. Buadze criticized the Georgian government’s lack of protest during the process of Bichvinta’s transfer to Russia.
More to follow…
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
