De facto Abkhazia imposes visa regime for states not recognising its independence

Leaders of Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia region plan to introduce visa regimes for states that refuse to recognise it as an independent state. 

De facto Parliament Speaker of Abkhazia Valeri Bganba told Russian media the new immigration rules would come into effect on April 1, 2016. 

Bganba said the step aimed to "regulate the migration policy and increase control on immigration”. 

Russian citizens mainly come to Abkhazia as holidaymakers. Other countries’ citizens might come here, stay for years, work and never pay taxes,” Bganba told Russia’s new agency Tacc. 

He added before the law came into play the de facto region’s checkpoints would be fitted with modern customs technologies. 

Almost all of the international community believes Abkhazia is integral part of Georgia. 

Russia and Nicaragua recognised Abkhazia’s independence in 2008 in the wake of the Russia-Georgia war. In 2009 Venezuela, Nauru and Tuvalu took the same step but after several years Vanuatu cancelled its view and said Abkhazia was part of Georgia.