Opposition politicians angry at plans to offer full rights to members of marginalised community.
By Anaid Gogorian in Sukhum (CRS No. 506, 14-Aug-09)
Abkhazia last week scrapped proposals to give citizenship to resident ethnic Georgians, following claims from opposition politicians the legal change would undermine Abkhazian security.
But the issue, which would have involved granting full rights to Georgians living in Abkhazia’s eastern Gal region, is not resolved and could well flare up in presidential elections scheduled for December.
Most of Abkhazia’s 250,000 Georgians fled during and after the 1992-3 conflict in which Tbilisi lost control of the republic, but around 60,000 still live around the town of Gal, and their lack of citizenship has marginalised them, making it difficult for them to gain benefits or own property.
On July 31, parliament adopted amendments allowing ...