During a meeting with Aslan Bzhania, the head of the separatist Abkhazia, on February 28, Konstatin Pilia, the head of the local occupation administration of the ethnic Georgian-majority Gali district of the separatist Abkhazia, expressed concerns about the increasing emigration from Gali.

The outflow of residents from Gali began in 2015 due to documentation-related challenges. Approximately 30,000 ethnic Georgians lost their Abkhaz 'citizenship' in 2014 and 2017, restricting their political rights and prompting fears of electoral influence. Pilia attributed the recent acceleration in emigration to the limited prospects for obtaining Abkhaz citizenship. According to Pilia, a 2011 census estimated Gali's ethnic Georgian population at 30,000. However, current figures indicate a decline, with only 17,000 employed residents. The remaining population consists of pensioners receiving benefits under various permits and certificates issued by the occupation regime.

Access to essential documentation, such as birth certificates, remains a significant challenge for many residents, particularly children born in Gali. Regulatory changes implemented in 2022 require ethnic Georgians to deny their Georgian identity to obtain "Abkhazia Passports," a move strongly opposed by affected individuals.