Abkhazia unrest: Georgia blames Russia for political occupation

Georgia’s Defence Minister says Abkhazia is in a precarious state as military and political groups continue to provoke Georgia’s breakaway region.

Defence Minister Irakli Alasania said the Moscow-backed breakaway region of Georgia was in a state of unrest, and had been since Tuesday when the de-facto Abkhazia President’s administration was overtaken by opposition forces.

Alasania believed the "occupant regime were responsible” for the escalating situation in Abkhazia.

"This is another demonstration from the country that occupies 20 percent of Georgia’s territory, and still continues to use military and political means to annexation the country,” Alasania told local media.

Opposition demonstrators are currently in control of President Alexander Ankvab's Administration building after storming it on Tuesday evening. The de-facto President was chased from his headquarters.

International news agency BBC said many people in the Russian-backed region were "unhappy with the ailing economy and lack of reforms”. At the same time, the "Abkhazian nationalist feeling was also fuelling the unrest”, the BBC reported.

Georgia’s Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili believed the current unrest in Georgia’s breakaway region would not create any danger for the Georgian population.

Defence Minister Alasania was confident the Georgian Government would like to solve the problem through political dialogue.

"Geneva Talks is the format where future issues will be discussed,” he added.

Meanwhile US Ambassador in Georgia Richard Norland expressed his concern about the political crisis in Abkhazia. He wanted to know if the tension in the region was caused by internal or external factors.

"Access to Abkhazia is limited and we are using second source information. Abkhazia is Georgia’s territory and we support the restoration of Georgia’s sovereignty on the whole territory,” Norland said.

Georgians living in Abkhazia face discrimination in terms of issuance of Abkhazian passports.

Yesterday, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed there were "some instances of ethnic discrimination” against Georgians who did not have Abkhazian passports.

The decision to issue Abkhazian passports to residents of eastern border districts, including the Gali district which is heavily populated by ethnic Georgians, was continuing to cause conflict between current authorities in Abkhazia and the opposition.

The issue was slammed by opposition groups as a threat to Abkhaz sovereignty.

Defence Minister Alasania emphasized Abkhazia was being controlled by occupant forces and Georgia could not extend its jurisdiction there.

The Coordinating Council, a united group of opposition parties and movement groups in Abkhazia, are calling for a new, upgraded partnership treaty with Russia. The group also wanted to see Abkhazia gain membership to the Russian-led Eurasian Union and Customs Union.

The Russian President’s personal aide, Vladislav Surkov, is currently in Sokhumi to act as a mediator between the opposition and authorities.