Aslan Bschania

Aslan Bschania, 2014

Aslan Bschania ( Abkhazian Аслан Гьаргь-иҧа Бжьаниа, Russian Аслан Георгиевич Бжания; born April 6, 1958 in Tamysh , Abkhazian ASSR , Georgian SSR , Soviet Union ) is an Abkhazian politician. Since April 2020 he has been President of the small, internationally hardly recognized Republic of Abkhazia .

Bschania was trained at the KGB in the Soviet Union . During the independence of Abkhazia he served in the Abkhazian KGB. From 2010 to 2014 - under Presidents Sergei Bagapsch and Alexander Ankwab - Bschania served as head of the Abkhazian secret services. He then ran as a candidate from Ankwab's camp for the presidential election and was considered one of the favorites. During the election campaign, he spoke out in favor of reopening the Transcaucasian Railway . With 36.6% of the votes cast, he received the second most votes.

Bschania was the favorite for the 2019 presidential election , but was hospitalized with symptoms of intoxication after the election campaign began. Incumbent Raul Chadschimba then surprisingly won the election despite poor performance in the first round.

In March 2020, Bschania won the repeated Abkhaz presidential elections. At a press conference after the election results were announced, he proposed Alexander Ankwab as the new Prime Minister. The Georgian government protested against his choice.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Wojciech Górecki: Abkhazia's 'creeping' incorporation: The end of the experiment of a separatist democracy , Ośrodek Studiów Wschodnich (Center for Eastern Studies) March 12, 2015.
2. ↑ Mikhail Bushuev: Abkhazia's Dilemma: Nothing works without Moscow , Deutsche Welle August 24, 2014.
3. ↑ Abkhaz Presidential Candidate Says Sokhumi Should Push for Restoration of Railway , Civil.ge July 16, 2014.
4. ↑ Polina Devitt / Jason Bush: Abkhazia elects opposition leader as president , Reuters August 25, 2014.
5. ↑ Markus Ackeret: Russia allows a small popular uprising in Abkhazia , Neue Zürcher Zeitung January 14, 2020.
6. ↑ David X. Noack: Complicated Mixture , Young World October 12, 2019.
7. ↑ Abkhaz Opposition Leader Wins Repeat Presidential Vote In Breakaway Georgian Region , Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty March 23, 2020.
8. ↑ Aslan Bzhania Becomes New Abkhaz Leader , Civil.ge March 23, 2020.
9. ↑ David X. Noack: Abkhazia wants change , young world March 26, 2020.
10. ^ Georgia protest against election in Abkhazia , Swabian Post March 24, 2020.