Prime Minister of Abkhazia

The prime minister of Abkhazia is the head of government of the unrecognised state, the Republic of Abkhazia.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Abkhazia
Coat of arms of Abkhazia
Incumbent
Alexander Ankvab

since 23 April 2020
ResidenceSukhumi
AppointerAslan Bzhania,
as President of Abkhazia
Inaugural holderGennady Gagulia
Formation26 November 1994

History

Government of President Vladislav Ardzinba

While the presidency was held by one man – Vladislav Ardzinba – from 1994 to 2005, the position of prime minister changed hands a number of times during that time. It was created with the November 1994 adoption of the Constitution of Abkhazia, and Gennady Gagulia was appointed to the position in January 1995.

Government of President Sergei Bagapsh

After Sergei Bagapsh succeeded Ardzinba to the presidency in February 2005, he appointed Alexander Ankvab as Prime Minister. Ankvab was Bagapsh's vice presidential candidate in the 12 December 2009 presidential election,[1] and as required by law, he was officially suspended from his post on 11 November and his duties were carried out by First Vice Premier Leonid Lakerbaia.[2] Bagapsh and Ankvab won the election, and on 13 February 2010, Ankvab was succeeded by long-time minister for foreign affairs Sergei Shamba.[3]

Government of President Alexander Ankvab

After Alexander Ankvab defeated Sergei Shamba in the 2011 presidential election, Leonid Lakerbaia became Prime Minister.

On 2 June 2014, Lakerbaia resigned as a result of the Abkhazian Revolution and Vice Premier Vladimir Delba was appointed acting prime minister.[4]

Government of President Raul Khajimba

The 2014 presidential election was won by opposition leader Raul Khajimba, who on 29 September 2014 appointed Beslan Butba as the new prime minister.[5] However, there were rumors of Butba's resignation almost since the beginning of his term, explained variously by a power struggle between Butba and Khajimba and by Butba's supposed bad performance as Prime Minister.[6] Butba was finally dismissed by President Khajimba on 16 March 2015, and temporarily replaced by First Vice Premier Shamil Adzynba.[7] In a press conference afterwards, Butba said that he had made Khajimba aware of his intention to resign. He claimed that the presidential administration had taken over many of the responsibilities of the prime minister, creating a 'second government'.[6] On 20 March, Khajimba appointed MP and former United Abkhazia chairman Artur Mikvabia as Butba's successor.[8]

Following a pending motion of no-confidence against him, the storming of the Interior Ministry by opposition activists and a failed referendum to bring about an early presidential election, Mikvabia announced his resignation as Prime Minister on 26 July 2016, accepted on the same day by Khajimba.[9][10] In an interview with Caucasian Knot, Mikvabia stated that the strong unrest in society was being caused by the government's efforts to structurally improve the financial situation of Abkhazia through measures such as the introduction of VAT, that he did not want to work under conditions where society itself hindered development and that he hoped his resignation would defuse tensions.[11] Khajimba again appointed Adzynba as acting prime minister.[10] On 5 August, he appointed newly-appointed presidential administration head Beslan Bartsits as the new Prime Minister.[12]

List of prime ministers of Abkhazia

No. Image Name
(Birth–Death)
Tenure Political Affiliation
Took Office Left Office
1 Gennady Gagulia
(1948–2018)
January 1995 29 April 1997 Independent
2 Sergei Bagapsh
(1949–2011)
29 April 1997 20 December 1999 Independent
3 Viacheslav Tsugba
(1944–)
20 December 1999 30 May 2001 Independent
4 Anri Jergenia
(1941–2020)
7 June 2001 29 November 2002 Independent
(1) Gennady Gagulia
(1948–2018)
29 November 2002 8 April 2003 Independent
5 Raul Khajimba
(1958–)
22 April 2003 6 October 2004 Independent
6 Nodar Khashba
(1951–)
6 October 2004 14 February 2005 United Abkhazia
7 Alexander Ankvab
(1952–)
14 February 2005 13 February 2010 Aitaira
8 Sergei Shamba
(1951–)
13 February 2010 27 September 2011 Independent
9 Leonid Lakerbaia
(1947–)
27 September 2011 2 June 2014 Aitaira
Vladimir Delba
(1974–)
Acting Prime Minister
2 June 2014 29 September 2014 Independent
10 Beslan Butba
(1960–)
29 September 2014 17 March 2015 Party for the Economic Development of Abkhazia
Shamil Adzynba
(1970–)
Acting Prime Minister
17 March 2015 20 March 2015 Independent
11 Artur Mikvabia
(1949–)
20 March 2015 26 July 2016 United Abkhazia
Shamil Adzynba
(1970–)
Acting Prime Minister
26 July 2016 5 August 2016 Independent
12 Beslan Bartsits
(1978–)
5 August 2016 25 April 2018 Independent
(1) Gennady Gagulia
(1948–2018)
25 April 2018 8 September 2018 Independent
Daur Arshba
(1962–)
Acting Prime Minister
8 September 2018 18 September 2018 Independent
13 Valeri Bganba
(1953–)
18 September 2018 23 April 2020 Independent
(7) Alexander Ankvab
(1952–)
23 April 2020 Incumbent Aitaira


See also

References

  1. Kuchuberia, Anzhela (2009-10-27). Багапш будет баллотироваться в президенты Абхазии в паре с Анквабом (in Russian). Caucasian Knot. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
  2. Выпуск №545-546-547-548 (in Russian). Apsnypress. 2009-11-12. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
  3. Выпуск №69-70 (in Russian). Apsnypress. 13 February 2010. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  4. "Исполняющий обязанности президента Абхазии Валерий Бганба ознакомил членов Кабинета министров со своим первым указом". Apsnypress. 2 June 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  5. "Беслан Бутба назначен премьер-министром Республики Абхазия". Apsnypress. 29 September 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  6. Zavodskaya, Elena (16 March 2015). "Дождались". Echo of the Caucasus. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  7. "Создано Министерство по курортам и туризму РА". Apsnypress. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  8. "Артур Миквабия назначен премьер-министром Абхазии". Apsnypress. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  9. Jopua, Irena (26 July 2016). "Премьер-министр Артур Миквабия заявил о своей отставке". Apsnypress. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  10. "Президент подписал Указ об освобождении Артура Миквабия от должности Премьер-министра". Apsnypress. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  11. Gritsevich, Anna (27 July 2016). "Миквабия объяснил свою отставку желанием снизить напряженность в Абхазии". Caucasian Knot. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  12. "Беслан Барциц – премьер-министр Республики Абхазия". Apsnypress. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
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