Abkhazia's leader resigns amid escalating protests
Aslan Bzhania, the leader of separatist Abkhazia, resigned after talks with the opposition. Reuters reported this, citing a statement from Bzhania's press office.
Aslan Bzhania, the leader of Abkhazia, a separatist region of Georgia supported by Russia, stepped down after negotiations with the opposition. Reuters conveyed this information, citing a statement from Bzhania's press office. "In order to maintain stability and constitutional order in the country, I am announcing my resignation from the post of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia," Bzhania wrote in a statement published on his press office's Telegram channel.
Mass protests in Abkhazia
The Moscow-supported government, led by Bzhania, has been struggling with mass demonstrations for several weeks. Protesters occupied bridges and government buildings, opposing the regulations legalizing Russian investments in the region.
Abkhazia has been outside the control of Georgian authorities for over 30 years. The separatist government claims it is an independent state unilaterally declared in 1992. Few countries recognize the region's independence, including Russia, which did so in 2008 after a short war with Georgia.
