President calls for int’l reaction over de facto authorities’ plans in occupied Abkhazia to lease lands to Russia
A long-term lease of the Soviet-era resort town of Bichvinta to Russia was first decided by de facto authorities in 1995, before protests by the local population led to no practical steps being taken.
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Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday called on the international community to “strongly react” to the recent decision of the de facto authorities in Georgia’s Russian-occupied breakaway Abkhazia region to transfer 186 hectares of territory in the Bichvinta resort town to Russia on a 49-year lease.
In her remarks on Twitter, Zourabichvili stressed that transfer of the well-known, coastal resort territory to the occupier was a “form of annexation” and the result of the “continued occupation” of the Georgian lands by Russia.
What we’re seeing in Bichvinta is a form of annexation of Georgian territory by Russia. We see a strong popular reaction to the developments. This is the result of continued occupation
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) July 25, 2022
I strongly condemn this and call on the international community to strongly react to this.
The local media outlets reported that the agreement on the transfer was signed in Moscow on January 19, 2022, but it became known only on July 11, when the de facto parliament started to discuss the deal, sparking internal tension.
The agreement said that all constructions on the territory of the Bichvinta holiday area would become the property of the Russian Federal Protection Service, while the surrounding lands would be transferred to Russia on a 49-year lease, which is 186 hectares, the size of about 300 football fields.
An earlier agreement on the location dating back to 1995, allowed Russians to have unlimited and free access to the resort territory, but without the ownership right.
The idea to grant Russia the right of ownership over the territory 12 years ago angered locals and the issue was removed from the agenda.
Russia recognised two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as independent states after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war, with only Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria joining the move so far.
The rest of the international community have been calling on Russia over years to withdraw its troops from the Georgian territory.