Sukhumi residents tired of elections and political crises

Political crises and frequent presidential elections spoil the tourist image of Abkhazia and prevent it from developing amid high unemployment and low salaries, believe residents of Sukhumi, interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that today, the parliament of Abkhazia has granted the Raul Khadjimba's request for the resignation from the post of president and appointed Prime Minister Valery Bganba as acting leader of the republic. Raul Khadjimba resigned under pressure from protesters who seized the presidential administration building on January 9.

During all the days of the political crisis, Sukhumi lived its usual life, and "only a small group of interested people" took part in the seizure of the presidential administration building, said residents of the city, interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Gunda Adleiba, a seller at a clothes store at the Sukhumi market, believes that "endless political crises prevent the country from developing." "Let us live and work calmly, since tourists just began to visit our land, and we got an opportunity to earn money from tourists. And we again showed ourselves to be savages," the woman said.

Raul Khadjimba should not follow the "rabid crowd" and resign, states Timur Lakerbaya, a 70-year-old pensioner. "The Abkhazian people chose him, but those [protesters] spat on our opinion and overthrew the elected president," the pensioner said.

Abkhazia needs an introduction of external control, believes Major Adamur Bartsits, a 50-year-old officer of the Abkhaz army. "As the history has shown, we ourselves are not able to rule our country. Our young people leave for Russia in large numbers, since they see no prospects in their homeland," stated Adamur Bartsits.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 13, 2020 at 05:45 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.