MOSCOW, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Protesters in Georgia's Russia-backed breakaway region of Abkhazia declined on Saturday to leave the parliament building which they stormed the previous day, a departure proposed by the region's president as a condition for resigning.
Protesters had occupied the parliament in protest at an investment agreement between the Black Sea region and Moscow.
Russian news agency RIA reported that President Aslan Bzhania had said on Saturday he would resign and hold a snap election once protesters vacated the parliament in Abkhazia's capital Sukhumi, and proposed a vice-president as interim head of state.
"When they leave the building, I will write my resignation letter and in the new election we'll see how much support they get," RIA cited Bzhania as saying.
He said he planned to run in that election.
Bzhania, quoted by Russian news agencies, later told a government meeting held in his native coastal village of Tamysh, that order would be restored. He said protesters only controlled the parliament and government buildings they had occupied.
"The situation will stabilise, everything will return to a legal framework," RIA news agency quoted him as saying. "We have a president, we have laws. We have a homeland that we all must serve."
Abkhazia's interior ministry and security service issued statements saying they would obey orders from the president.
Protesters said in a statement that the occupation was not against Abkhazia's close ties with Russia, but accused Bzhania of "trying to use these relations for his own selfish interests (and) manipulating them for the sake of strengthening his regime".
TASS news agency quoted a representative of the protesters, Adgur Ardzinba, as saying they would remain in place until the president resigned.
Moscow said on Friday it was following the "crisis situation" with concern and urged Russian citizens to avoid travel to Abkhazia.
Russia recognised Abkhazia and another breakaway region, South Ossetia, as independent states in 2008 after defeating Georgia in a five-day war. It maintains military bases in both regions and props up their economies.
Most of the world recognises Abkhazia as part of Georgia, from which it broke away during wars in the early 1990s.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The late...
Six candidates vying to become the next United Nations Secretary-General have called for restoring the organisation's credibility, strengthening multi...
Kazakhstan is set to become the first country in Central Asia to introduce electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis into its transport...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 23rd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. strikes on Iran entered a 12th consecutive night, while Yemen's Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, urging President Donald Trump to warn Tehran it would be held responsible for any future Houthi attacks.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The latest operation lasted more than two hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
Aleksandar Vučić's visit to Kyiv on 15 July appeared to send a geopolitical signal. But the significance of the trip lies less in the journey itself than in the limits Serbia carefully observed.
A new state agency wants the world to take Georgian food as seriously as Georgians already do.
Kazakhstan's grain sector faces a difficult season as drought reduces harvest prospects while mounting security risks in the Black Sea threaten to redirect cheaper Russian grain into Central Asian markets.
Uzbekistan welcomed 6.56 million foreign tourists in the first six months of 2026, a 24.9% increase compared with the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Committee. The figures underline the country's growing appeal as one of Central Asia's leading travel destinations.
Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis has condemned discussion of Bill H.R. 9087 by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, rejecting what it described as unfounded accusations against Baku and warning the measure could undermine efforts to advance the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process.
Pakistan on Thursday warned Yemen's Houthi movement that any attack on Pakistani-flagged vessels or the country's maritime interests would cross a "red line" and trigger a response under its right to self-defence.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment