Russia Announces Conditions for Resuming Funding for Abkhazia
Russia may provide payments to Abkhazia if it stops playing out agreements to the detriment of Moscow. This was stated by the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Konstantin Zatulin.
“If Abkhazia refuses the concluded agreements, if it insists that Russian citizens should not have the same rights in Abkhazia as its citizens, if it is afraid of an influx of people from Russia to Abkhazia, then what grounds do you have to expect gratuitous assistance from us? That is, when Abkhazia is given money, that’s normal, but when – guarantees for investors, who are otherwise intimidated in Abkhazia, deprived of business?” Zatulin was indignant.
Russia will continue to maintain contact with the Abkhazian authorities on all relevant issues. This is how the presidential press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, commented on the republic’s request to resume social payments and the country’s parliament’s refusal to ratify the investment agreement.
The day before, Abkhazia's Prime Minister Valery Bganba appealed to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin with a request to resume co-financing the salaries of Abkhazian public sector employees. In Abkhazia, the authorities have stopped paying salaries to public sector employees, new power outage schedules have been introduced since December 9, and schools and kindergartens will be closed since December 10. There is also a shortage of funds for salaries of security forces. Abkhazia recently refused to conclude an economic agreement with Russia. The parliament of the self-proclaimed republic voted against ratifying the agreement with the Russian Federation on investments. Earlier, its possible adoption caused mass protests. This agreement was the subject of harsh criticism from the opposition. Many residents feared that the arrival of Russian business in the unrecognized republic would leave them without work.
