The opposition of Abkhazia did not storm, but Bzhaniya lost – opinion

The rally of the Abkhaz opposition in Sukhum on May 30 ended with promises to continue protests. There was no forceful seizure of power, although law enforcement structures were thoroughly preparing for just such a scenario. Such a result of the protest, according to the editor-in-chief of the Abkhazian newspaper Chegemskaya Pravda, Inal Khashig, means that President Aslan Bzhaniya lost.

As Khashig noted before the rally, after such security measures by the authorities, “when even the recently installed bridge was cut down, military equipment was brought to protect the presidential palace and fenced off from citizens with barbed wire,” “even those who yesterday didn’t think about it.”

“Such a demonstrative fencing of the authorities from their citizens can only provoke the Abkhazian society”, Hasig noted.

And such a radical scenario would play into the hands of the authorities, he believes.

“If the opposition goes for broke and starts to storm the presidential palace, and this attempt ends in failure, then it will lose everything. After that, President Aslan Bzhaniya will certainly receive carte blanche for all subsequent actions. That is, all the bills that are now suspended or put on pause will be adopted by him almost without any resistance. But if, having shown its strength, the opposition refrains from following the path beaten by its predecessors, that is, refuses to storm the presidential palace, then Aslan Bzhaniya will be the loser in this battle. And in the future he will have to reckon with the opinion of not only the opposition, but also all those who are not satisfied with his policy. Hasig predicted.

As reported EADailyAslan Bzhaniya refused today to send a cabinet of ministers headed by Alexander Ankvab, to resign, which was demanded from the president by the participants of the opposition action. According to pro-government publics, about 1,000 people came to the rally, according to opposition ones, more than 3,000 people.

The President did not come out to the protesters, he received delegates from the opposition. Following the meeting, one of the leaders of the opposition Adgur Ardzinba stated that the president was not going to fulfill their demands. In this regard, he announced the holding of peaceful rallies in the future. Ardzinba announced a “series of protests”.

The opposition considers unacceptable “the focus of the current government on the settlement of the country by foreign citizens under the guise of selling apartments, selling strategic assets of the republic, increasing electricity tariffs, legalizing trade with Georgia.”

The results of today’s rally were summed up by the Abkhazia Center telegram channel.

“There has been no shift in power. Everyone stays where they are. Not a single demand of the protesters was satisfied. Nothing new was said at the rally. The authorities had to pull hard to prepare for the defense. The opposition failed to bring the masses out into the street.” — writes the author of the channel.