President of Abkhazia

President of the Republic of Abkhazia
President of the Republic of Abkhazia
	Standard of the president of Abkhazia
	Incumbent; Aslan Bzhania ; since 23 April 2020
Residence	Sukhumi
Term length	5 years; Renewable once
Formation	26 November 1994
First holder	Vladislav Ardzinba
Deputy	Vice President of Abkhazia
Website	http://presidentofabkhazia.org/

Last updated January 11, 2024

The president of Abkhazia is the head of state in Abkhazia, a breakaway state recognized as part of Georgia, under Russian military occupation. The position was created in 1994. Before the office of president was created the head of state position was known as the chairman of Parliament between 1992 and the creation of the 1994 constitution. Before the position of Chairman of Parliament, the highest office in Abkhazia was the chairman of the Supreme Soviet. The post would last from the declaration of sovereignty from the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic on 25 August 1990 until the outright declaration of independence on 23 July 1992.

Oath of office

During Alexander Ankvab's presidency, Parliament decided to scrap from the Presidential oath the phrase:

Жәлар рылахь соуааит иҧшьоу абри ахақәкы сацәхьаҵны саныҟала
— If I deviate from this path, then let me be punished by my people

During a meeting on 16 July 2014, following the Abkhazian Revolution, Parliament decided to restore this phrase. According to Vice Speaker Emma Gamisonia, the decision to remove the phrase had been taken because it was perceived as a curse, following the premature death of Abkhazia's first two presidents, Vladislav Ardzinba and Sergei Bagapsh. MP Daur Arshba claimed that the decision had been taken illegally, without the necessary quorum.^[1]

On 18 August, the People's Assembly of Abkhazia additionally adopted a bill authored by Said Kharazia, and first proposed by him during the meeting on 16 July, adding the invocation^[1]^[2]

Иа Анцәа Ду, суҳәоит Сыԥсадгьыли сыуаажәлари рымаҵ аураҿы амчи алшареи суҭарц!
— Almighty God, give me strength to serve country and people!

Non-presidential heads of state

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Position	Term of office			Political party
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Position	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party
1		Valerian Kobakhia (1929–1992)	Chairman of the Supreme Soviet	25 August 1990	24 December 1990	121 days	Communist Party of Abkhazia
2		Vladislav Ardzinba (1945–2010)	Chairman of the Supreme Soviet	24 December 1990	23 July 1992	1 year, 212 days	Communist Party of Abkhazia
(2)		Vladislav Ardzinba (1945–2010)	Chairman of Parliament	23 July 1992	26 November 1994	2 years, 126 days	Independent

List of presidents of Abkhazia

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party	Election	Vice president(s)
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party	Election	Vice president(s)
1		Vladislav Ardzinba (1945–2010)	26 November 1994	12 February 2005	10 years, 78 days	Independent	1994 1999	Valery Arshba (1995 – 2005)
2		Sergei Bagapsh (1949–2011)	12 February 2005	29 May 2011 †	6 years, 106 days	United Abkhazia	2005 2009	Raul Khajimba (2005 – 2009) Alexander Ankvab (2009 – 2011)
–		Alexander Ankvab (born 1952) Acting	29 May 2011	26 September 2011	120 days	Aitaira	–	–
3		Alexander Ankvab (born 1952)	26 September 2011	1 June 2014 (Resigned)	2 years, 248 days	Aitaira	2011	Mikhail Logua (2011 – 2013)
–		Valeri Bganba (born 1953) Acting	1 June 2014	25 September 2014	116 days	Independent	–	–
4		Raul Khajimba (born 1958)	25 September 2014	12 January 2020 (Resigned)	5 years, 109 days	FNUA	2014 2019	Vitali Gabnia (2014 – 2018) Aslan Bartsits (2019 – 2020)
–		Valeri Bganba (born 1953) Acting	13 January 2020	23 April 2020	101 days	Independent	–	–
5		Aslan Bzhania (born 1963)	23 April 2020	Incumbent	3 years, 263 days	Independent	2020	Badr Gunba (since 2020)

Timeline

Latest election


Candidate	Running mate	Votes	%
Aslan Bzhania	Badr Gunba	53,741	58.92
Adgur Ardzinba	Arda Enverovich Ashub	33,686	36.93
Leonid Dzapshba	Viktor Shamilovich Khashba	2,114	2.32
None of the above		1,666	1.83
Total		91,207	100.00

Valid votes		91,207	95.90
Invalid/blank votes		3,902	4.10
Total votes		95,109	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		132,916	71.56
Source: Abkhaz World

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References

1 2 "Восстановлен текст присяги президента в первоначальной редакции". Apsnypress. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
↑ "Депутаты парламента большинством голосов внесли изменение в текст присяги президента РА". Apsnypress. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.

External links

President of the Republic of Abkhazia – Official site (English Version)

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[apress_vosstanovlen-1] 1 2 "Восстановлен текст присяги президента в первоначальной редакции". Apsnypress. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.

[apress12800-2] "Депутаты парламента большинством голосов внесли изменение в текст присяги президента РА". Apsnypress. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.

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