De-facto Abkhazian Foreign Minister Inal Ardzinba said that third forces are swaying the transfer of the Pitsunda state dacha to Russia against Russia and separatist Abkhazia.

"Today, we see an unprecedented politicization of the state dacha issue. We all love our country and are worried about the future of Abkhazia, and love for our homeland must be proved by deeds and results. But we see those natural feelings on the topic of the Pitsunda state dacha are picked up and artificially pumped from the outside," Ardzinba stated. The de-facto Abkhazian Foreign Minister said that international non-governmental organizations and the Georgian government behind them play an important role in this. Thus, Ardzinba noted, a protest was recently held in Georgia against the agreement on the transfer of the state dacha in Pitsunda, in which young people participated.

"The Georgian government, through NGOs, is trying to interfere in our internal affairs. Their common goal is clear - they are doing everything to spoil interstate Abkhaz-Russian relations, to bring anti-Russian sentiments in our country to the limit for the subsequent change in foreign policy. But they will not be able to. Our people treat Russia, the leadership of Russia, with gratitude and respect, given the enormous support that has been given to us all these years," the de-facto Foreign Minister said. Ardzinba stressed that he worked for a long time in the administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ardzinba said it is difficult for him to imagine that the head of the Russian state can propose or agree to anything that infringes on state sovereignty or offends the national identity of the citizens of Abkhazia. "We see how this topic sincerely worries our citizens, all of us. One part of society opposes the agreement, and another part supports it. In this sense, additional information is needed. Through diplomatic channels, we turned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on issues of concern to us. In response, we were informed that the Pitsunda facility could not and would not be transferred to third parties," the Minister said.

He noted that in accordance with Articles 7 and 8 of the federal law "On State Protection," state protection is entrusted to senior officials. Accordingly, the President of Russia, the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Federation Council and the State Duma, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court, the Prosecutor General, and the Chairman of the Investigative Committee will be able to visit the dacha.

As previously reported by Caucasus Watch, according to the Bichvinta resort draught agreement, 115 hectares of sea space and 186 hectares of land are handed over to the Russian Federation. All buildings and structures will become the property of the Russian Federal Protective Service, and Russia will get a 49-year lease on the Black Sea region and neighboring areas. The covert signing of the paper between Moscow and Sokhumi angered the population. The de-facto Abkhazian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not informed the local deputies about the signed agreement; nonetheless, according to the process, the foreign political agency is obligated to notify the parliament about intergovernmental agreements. Even opposition-minded and less-politicized Abkhazian citizens are opposed to the aforementioned deal.

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