The Democracy Research Institute [DRI] reviews a controversial bill that would allow Russian citizens to buy real estate in occupied Abkhazia.
According to the assessment of the Democracy Research Institute, the ongoing processes in Abkhazia, in the long term, contain a significant threat of its annexation, and the implementation of similar initiatives is not allowed until the conflict is settled.
It concerns the adoption of a new law “On the regulation of the legal status of apart-hotels and apartments”, which may be adopted in Abkhazia in the next few days.
The sale of real estate and land to foreigners in Abkhazia is still prohibited. Prohibitions related to the purchase of property in Abkhazia for Russian citizens have repeatedly become a reason for the irritation of high-ranking Russian officials.
For years, the de facto authorities of Abkhazia tried and succeeded in postponing the consideration of the issue. However, the request of the Russian side was not removed from the agenda.
“According to the information published on the website of the de facto parliament of Abkhazia, in the hot days of July, the parliament of Abkhazia is discussing the adoption and implementation of a new law. The initiator of the legislative proposal is the de facto president. According to the information spread in public sources, Aslan Bzhania demands the adoption of the draft law by the de facto parliament in July”.
According to the bill, foreigners or stateless persons are no longer prohibited from buying apartments in “apart-hotels”. Apart from the cases when a citizen of a foreign country or a stateless person (or their family member) participated in actions against the “independence” of Abkhazia.
“It is true that owning property cannot be the basis for obtaining the right of residence or citizenship in Abkhazia, however, the main part of the Abkhazian society opposes the adoption of the draft law. According to them, the goal of the new legislation will be to transfer the strategic property of Abkhazia to the ownership of the Russians.
While the Abkhazian opposition is campaigning against the bill on the grounds that it will facilitate the purchase of property in Abkhazia by ethnic Georgian citizens of Russia, it is clear that part of the Abkhazian civil society is critical of Russian “investors”. A part of Abkhazians believe that the government is disposing of Abkhazian property against national interests,” – reads the statement of the Democracy Research Institute.
