Aslan Bjania resigned following protests in Sukhumi in recent days. In exchange, demonstrators must leave government buildings this Tuesday.
In Georgia, the president of the separatist region of Abkhazia, pro-Russian, Aslan Bjaniadecided to resign. The decision was taken against the backdrop of mass protests, during which the opposition occupied a complex of government buildings in Sukhumi on November 15, forcing Aslan Bjania himself to leave the capital of the self-proclaimed separatist Georgian republic.
In accordance with the agreement reached by the two parties when the opposition must have left all government buildings on Tuesday.
Otherwise, the resignation letter will be withdrawn. In addition to Mr. Bjania, Prime Minister Alexandre Ankvab also resigned.
The vice president Badra Gunba will assume the interim presidency, while the former speaker of parliament Valeri Bganba will occupy the post of Prime Minister.
At the same time, Aslan Bjania offered to resign by making his participation in the next presidential elections a condition.
The protests erupted in the context of the “investment agreement” between Abkhazia and Russiawhich was to be examined by parliament on Friday. Under this agreement, Russian companies could have implemented investment projects, including real estate projects in the territory of Abkhazia.
The opposition believes that the growth of uncontrolled development would have increased housing prices, violating the rights of the local population against wealthy Russians.
One of the opposition leaders, the former presidential candidate Adgur Ardzinbasaid that the republic already has an investment law dating from 2014, which provides guarantees for investors, special conditions and benefits. According to him, the new agreement aims to legalize the sale of apartments, which will have a devastating effect on the economic sovereignty of Abkhazia.
Most of Abkhazia broke away from Georgia in fighting that ended in 1993, and Georgia lost control of the rest of the territory during a brief war with Russia in 2008.
