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.
Lionel Messi matched the all-time World Cup scoring record as Argentina began their title defence with a 3-0 win over Algeria. Austria, France and Nor...
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a rare public rebuke of Israel's military tactics in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah militants, saying it wa...
French department store BHV and online fast-fashion retailer Shein have ended their partnership, seven months after the launch of a permanent Shein sh...
Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday convicted former lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, a son of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro living in the U.S., of courting in...
Russian sailors aboard a naval frigate fired warning shots at a civilian yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday after the vessel reportedly came too ...
Lionel Messi matched the all-time World Cup scoring record as Argentina began their title defence with a 3-0 win over Algeria. Austria, France and Norway also secured opening victories in Group J and Group I matches on Tuesday.
Russian sailors aboard a naval frigate fired warning shots at a civilian yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday after the vessel reportedly came too close, according to a source familiar with the incident.
China has successfully launched an experimental satellite designed to monitor the space environment, marking another step in the rapid expansion of its national space programme.
American technology company Snap has launched its first augmented-reality (AR) glasses for consumers, marking a major push into wearable computing as tech firms race to redefine personal devices in the AI era.
A senior U.S. official said on Monday that the memorandum of understanding linked to the U.S.-Iran agreement had been signed by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told U.S. President Donald Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by a Lebanon-related provision in an emerging agreement with Iran, according to Israeli officials.
A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Sulawesi island early Tuesday, killing at least one person and injuring four, according to emergency authorities.
U.S. President Donald Trump said a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Gulf has been signed by the U.S. and Iran, though details have yet to be made public and both countries said a permanent truce is yet to be negotiated.
Ukraine has said it struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Moscow region, marking one of the deepest reported attacks into Russian territory in recent months.
More than 8,300 participants from 100 countries have gathered in Uzbekistan's capital for the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF-2026), bringing together investors, policymakers and business leaders from around the world.
Following Armenia’s parliamentary vote, AnewZ spoke to people in Yerevan about the mood in the capital, relations with Azerbaijan and the country’s future.
France has continued activities that undermine the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process, including espionage and information campaigns targeting Baku, according to Azerbaijan’s State Commission Against Foreign Interference and Hybrid Threats.
QatarEnergy is prepared to rapidly restore liquefied natural gas (LNG) production at its Ras Laffan complex once shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz return to normal, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Israel has formally assumed planning and construction powers at one of the most sensitive religious sites in the occupied West Bank, ending an arrangement that had been in place for nearly three decades.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment