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Separatist Abkhazian Leader Pressured by Moscow to Target Opposition with Citizenship Revocation
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On August 19, during a meeting in Moscow, Aslan Bzhania, the de facto President of separatist Abkhazia, lodged a complaint with Russian officials against members of the separatist Abkhazian parliament, opposition figures, and public personalities. Bzhania proposed that Moscow revoke the Russian citizenship of those who opposed the law on apartments.
On August 29, this information was confirmed by the minutes of the meeting between Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration, and Bzhania. The meeting minutes, dated August 26, revealed that funding would be withheld until Bzhania fulfilled his commitments, including ratifying the Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Court and Arbitration Decisions, passing laws on apartment construction, and providing benefits for foreign investors.
Further pressure tactics mentioned in the protocol include applying commercial prices for electricity supplies. Notably, the minutes state that Bzhania must, by September 20, 2024, provide information about members of Parliament and opposition leaders who should lose their Russian citizenship and reduce contacts between Russian MPs and Abkhazian MPs.
Bzhania Rejects Rumors of Collusion with Russia Over MPs' Citizenship
On August 30, the de-facto administration of Aslan Bzhania, the separatist President of Abkhazia, refuted claims that Bzhania had requested the Russian side to revoke the Russian citizenship of the republic's parliamentary deputies.
In a statement, the administration addressed the information circulating on social media, which suggested that President Bzhania had agreed to share details about members of parliament and opposition leaders to facilitate the revocation of their Russian citizenship. "We would like to inform you that this information is not true. The President of Abkhazia did not undertake obligations to provide any information," the administration emphasized.
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