Minister of Reconciliation: Abkhazia Has Never Been Part of Independent Georgia
The Georgian Minister of Reconciliation and Civil Equality, Paata Zakareishvili, declared that Abkhazia has never been part of an independent Georgia.
According to the Minister, Georgians and Abkhazians lived together only in the Soviet era.
“It is lucrative to discuss how we imagine Abkhazia as a part of the rest of Georgia,” Zakareishvili emphasized.
As Zakareishvili cited, back in 2004, [they] proposed a model for Abkhazia within the framework of federal Georgia, yet the notion has been abandoned. He said neither the previous nor the current government is discussing the plan, which involves Abkhazia’s special status.
Zakareishvili underlined that no consultations are underway within the government concerning the country’s federal arrangement and granting Abkhazia a special status.
From Zakareishvili’s perspective, federal arrangement based regionalism is the best way to resolve the conflicts in Georgia; the core of the proposed principle is granting different regions dissimilar status.
“Abkhazians need to have a special status,” Zakareishvili said.
The United National Movement today held a special press conference concerning Zakareishvili's statement. The UNM's MP Giorgi Kandelaki declared that Zakareishvili's statement is anti-state and serves to reinforce the 'Russian legends.' According to Kandelaki, the Georgian Dream government has neither vision nor belief for the future of Georgia. "The member of the government is unaware of his functions" stated kandelaki, adding, these are reasons why the government must resign.
Abkhazia as well as Tskhinvali [South Ossetia], the two Georgian regions, have been occupied by the Russian Federation, not allowing Georgia nor the international community to resolve the conflicts in a peaceful way. Russia utilizes the two breakaway regions for military purposes, having built military bases on territories. The international community recognizes Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Regions as integral parts of Georgia.