In Abkhazia, opposition announces preparation for people's assembly

In Abkhazia, the opposition forces bloc plans to hold the people's assembly in autumn. Within the preparation for the people's assembly, the opposition organizes meetings with residents of the republic. On July 20, the notification of the decision to hold the people's assembly, made at the extended meeting of the opposition "Amtsakhara" Party, was published on the website of the agency "Abkhaz-Inform".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 5, in Sukhumi, the opposition held a rally with the demand to dismiss Leonid Dzapshba, Abkhazian Minister of Internal Affairs, and to postpone the referendum. The opposition rally ended with an attempt to assault the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).

The notification of the decision to hold the people’s assemly quotes "Amtsakhara" Party's statement, according to which, starting from June, the government of the republic secretly issue passports for Georgian residents.

The opposition also claims that the authorities prevent its access to TV Channels by delaying the solution of the problem on the establishment of a public council on state-owned TV Channels. Moreover, according to the opposition's statement, Abkhazia is hasty recruiting conscripts to create the National Guard subordinated to the President of Abkhazia.

"What money do the authorities intend to use for financing the National Guard? At present, all the law enforcement agencies of Abkhazia, without exception, are already maintained due to financing from the Russian Federation, and the Abkhazian economy is in a critical condition: salaries for public sector employees and pensions are delayed, and the government lives in anticipation of the next Russian tranches?" claims the opposition's statement without specifying the source of information on the recruitment of new conscripts.

Finally, the opposition's statement notes that despite the temporary suspension from office, Leonid Dzapshba, Abkhazian Minister of Internal Affairs, whose dismissal has been sought by the opposition, "continues to perform the duties of the Minister."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.