The conflict around the law on the sale of real estate to foreigners led to the terrorist attacks in Sukhum.
Opponents of real estate sales to foreigners worry that this is “the way to a mass settlement of the country and the loss of statehood”.© The Photo Of Julia Ephraim
The question of the sale of real estate in Abkhazia to foreigners, which primarily refers to the Russians, was so serious that in the partially recognized Republic not only demonstrations, but even bombings.
In particular, the other day in Sukhum blew up the office car of the Deputy of Parliament, Almas Dzhapua, actively lobbied for the introduction of a legal moratorium on the alienation of real estate to foreigners, which he and his supporters openly described as a “catastrophe” for Abkhazia.
The car of the Deputy completely destroyed, but he escaped unhurt, as got out of the car before it exploded. Shrapnel wounded the citizen of Russia, who was near the scene. Damaged two cars parked near the car of the Deputy.
“We will continue to think”
The President of Abkhazia Raul khadjimba convened a meeting of the security Council. Security Council Secretary Mohamed Kilba told reporters that, according to the investigation, radio-controlled explosive device with capacity of 100-150 grams of TNT had been placed inside the car. According to him, the MP wanted to “warn, but do not eliminate”.
In the Abkhaz capital held a rally in support of Dzhapua and the meetings at which the public demanded to enter the moratorium on the sale of real estate. Representatives of scientific and creative intellectuals issued a statement in which, inter alia, emphasizes that the sale of real estate to foreigners is “the way to a mass settlement of the country and the loss of statehood”.
It also States: “Only victory in the Patriotic war of the Abkhaz nation helped preserve the Abkhaz Abkhazian ethnos on the earth. Today again intensified attempts to legalize the replacement of the indigenous population of new applicants for our lands and property. Citizens of Abkhazia, mindful of irreparable loss in the struggle for freedom and independence, a broad front against neo-colonial policy.”
Under the latter, in particular, refers to the insistent demand of the Russian authorities to allow Russians to buy property in the Country of the soul is a long – standing dispute of the two “strategic partners”. Recall that many of the Russians who earlier acquired real estate in Abkhazia, it is simply selected.
Russia has decided to intimidate Georgia
In the Republic now quite a lot of those who does not doubt: the explosion of the car of the Deputy, advocated a moratorium on the sale of real estate involved in Russia. But the Chairman of the political party “Einar” Tengiz jopua urged not to make such conclusions. “… someone is trying to blame the explosion of external power, up to direct accusations against Russia. These people speculate the situation, trying to provoke anti-Russian sentiments and worsen our relations with that country, and expose us all to nationalists and marginalized”.
“I want to remind you – he continued – that Russia is the only country that provides support and assistance to our people. We don’t even have the moral right to make such accusations against the Russian people categorically do not accept them”, – quotes the policy of the Abkhazian media.
The Secretary of security Council of Abkhazia, too, spoke in defense of Russia and said that investigators have three main versions of the crime, but to voice them he did not. However, informed: “in society” is being discussed a lot of versions of that “undermining participated from the outside, in particular from Russia”. According to him, “this is not true, and you must have a good reason before you make such accusations”.
He himself Dzhapua, time left your car, explained his position on the alienation of real estate by the fact that in Abkhazia there is no law without which the sale “cannot be right”. That is, there are no housing and town-planning codes, adequate data on the census inventory of housing, master plans of districts, villages and towns. “When the relevant work will be done and all laws are adopted, then we can sit down and discuss other reasons why we are against it,” he said.
Abkhazia is expected to become poor “all the luck”
In General, most of the people in power in Abkhazia tries (understandably) to strongly convince the compatriots in the impossibility of the existence of a “Russian trace” in the attack. But “the public” their suspicions concerning the Russian “vector” of the crime, not hiding it. People say: they don’t want rich Russians bought up the best plots on the coast, while the indigenous population who has no money to purchase and normal maintenance of housing and land in Prime locations, “was driven into the mountains”.
In addition, they opposed Russification of Abkhazia, surrender to the oblivion of the Abkhaz language, culture and traditions, as well as demographic changes.
The Parliament of the Republic issued a statement in which he assured the countrymen that no pressure will not affect “the course of development of statehood of Abkhazia”. The deputies urged the people to “unity and harmony in the name of stability and strengthening of independence of our state”.
But unity and harmony in Abkhazia as there was not. Moreover, on almost all issues. There are already entrenched practice of attacks against officials and overthrow presidents, bloody clan clashes, impunity of criminal groups and generally complete disregard for the laws and the rule of law.
Against this background firmly entrenched hostility to Russia, which “disposes of Abkhazia and forcing her to his will”, including, insists on selling real estate to foreigners, under which, as ubiraetsya means only Russians.
In Sukhum smells of Mimosa and gunpowder
But nevertheless, the Abkhazian people, who, finally, has ensured that the number of the Georgian population in the Republic does not exceed the number of “other” because it was expelled, there are suspicions that the property will be bought and Georgians with Russian citizenship. In this scenario, according to the Abkhaz, ethnic composition of the Republic will return to normal. “So why did we shed blood?”, ask Abkhazians.
Note that all this crime and civil unrest taking place against the backdrop of demands for the resignation of President Raul Khajimba, as well as the beginning of the tourist season. So “glorious” the opening will do much harm to those who the whole year spent waiting for earnings from tourists, whose number of bombings and arsons are already declined because of the Abkhaz devastation, the lack of decent tourist infrastructure and heavy criminality.
In General, tourists (and in Abkhazia ride, mostly poor Russians) was spooked once again, and that in the Republic they say openly. However, the attack didn’t scare the person against whom it was directed, that is, Almas Dzhapua, he resigned from the Parliament. Its decision the politician explained that since he “cannot be heard” in the legislative body, further stay in it said “impossible”.
According to him, the moratorium on the sale of real estate to foreigners should not be removed under any circumstances. “In Parliament there are people who support him. I now, as a simple citizen, will continue to fight for a moratorium,” he assured the Dzhapua. And protesters supported him.
Here it should be noted that in power structures of Abkhazia there is an understanding that without regard to a great scandal (if not a civil war,) the law will still have to take, because it requires Russia.
But, abstracting from the concept of “preservation of the ethnic group” Abkhaz official team understands that if the law on sale of real estate will not be adopted, or the procedure will be delayed indefinitely, the Republic will have to lie in ruins: no serious private investor (and after the Russo-Turkish quarrel that can only be Russian), without tenure out here.
That is, the Russian business is waiting for exclusive rights in Abkhazia, which he’s not allowed, and local officials who can make hay on the work of the Russian business, will not receive a dime.
“Rosbalt” wrote that the Russian experts and businessmen on one of business forums in Abkhazia spoke about the lack of “security of life and property” in the land of the soul, and that this should take care of the power elite – a special emphasis was made on the adoption of the law on the sale foreigners of real estate. If it does not, the investor in Abkhazia just zatopchet – of course, we are not talking about the state of the Russian capital: he will trample anyone.
But this whole scandal with the above mentioned law says about the rapid growth in Abkhazia political radicalism, ground for which was “carefully fertilized” by signing the Russian-Abkhazian Treaty on Alliance and strategic partnership – the opposition opposed it actively. In particular it is not satisfied with the provisions of the document providing creation of the uniform with the Russian army and the interior Ministry.
It is difficult to say whether the conflict over the law of the last straw that will provoke riots in the country and will lead to a new attempt early change of government. But with great certainty we can predict that the law will be the main instrument of acceleration of the relevant processes.
Andrey Nikolaev
