Friday 12 March 2010

Dieter Boden expressed regret in connection with Vladislav Ardzinba's Death

March 11, SUKHUM, Abkhazia -- On March 11 in first half of the day Dieter Boden met with the President Sergey Bagapsh and the Vice-President Alexander Ankvab.

Within the framework of his informal visit the former Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict Dieter Boden delivered an open lecture on international problems on the Abkhaz State University invitation.

As to the meeting with the deputy Foreign Minister of Abkhazia Daur Kove, according to the press-service, the region’s urgent problems were discussed during the meeting.

Mr. Boden said that, despite his primary activity as a scientist-teacher, he continued taking an interest in the region’s destiny and watched closely the processes on the Southern Caucasus.

Touching upon the issue of the Geneva discussions, Mr. Boden said that in spite of the fact that little progress had been yet achieved in the course of the discussions; nevertheless, the Geneva format remained the most important forum to discuss common problems. “In spite of the fact that each participant of the Geneva discussions aims at nonrenewal of hostilities, all parties adhere to their vision of the problem resolution”, the deputy Foreign Minister declared.

The MFA international department head Lana Agrba said that the main goal of the Geneva consultations was to sign an agreement on the non-use of force, and this document must become the basic legal guarantor of stability in the region.

Mr. Boden said that forming a legal foundation for strengthening relations between the parties it was also important to take into consideration the agreements that had been concluded earlier. It was also mentioned that international guarantors continued to play an important role in strengthening trust.

Mr. Boden was also interested in the situation in the Kodori Valley.

The international department chief said that ICRC continued to render humanitarian aid to the valley’s residents.

Daur Kove stressed that it was very important for the Abkhaz society to maintain relations with Europe in cultural, educational and academic spheres. “Solving a problem connected with the destiny of Abkhazia, it is also important to listen to the Abkhaz side’s opinion”, the deputy Minister said, discussing the cases when citizens of Abkhazia had been refused Schengen visas. Mr. Boden also stressed the importance of solving daily problems while the political settlement was still being delayed.

Discussing the recent document on the problem resolution prepared by Georgia, Dieter Boden said that, despite some unacceptable wordings, the document, nevertheless, contained some interesting remarks. Daur Kove emphasized that the parties’ political will continued to remain an important component of establishing solid relations between the conflicting parties. Until there’s no will, no such documents will help reestablish trust.

Closing the meeting, Mr. Boden pointed to the importance of such meetings which allow to get to know the daily problems and the conflict parties’ opinion in detail, as well as to give corresponding information to other people and institutions interested in resolving the region’s main problems.


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Wednesday 3 March 2010

We should rely not only on aid from outside but also on our own resources - Sergey Bagapsh

March 2, 2010 - SUKHUM, ABKHAZIA -- “We should rely not only on aid from outside but, first of all, on our own resources”, the President Sergey Bagapsh said at the new Cabinet’s first session which was held on Tuesday, March 2. The head of the state congratulated all on their appointment and wished them success.

According to Bagapsh, increase of efficiency of state administration bodies, heads of city and district administrations must become the Cabinet’s and the country leadership’s priority.

“You are the people with whom we have been already working for five years. During this time you have developed as specialists. I don’t like to throw away specialists. Over the past years we all had to close gaps in the legislation and the budget. Today we are on a new stage of development, I ask you to take it into consideration”, the president said, addressing members of the government.

Sergey Bagapsh gave ministers and vice PMs in charge of them a month to prepare "serious, well-founded plans for the development of the ministries”. “First of all, it is a question of the Ministries of Finance, Economy, Taxes and Tax collection”, the President said, adding that all members of the government should give paramount importance to the development of the national economy.

The head of the state drew members of the government’s attention to the necessity to develop the sphere of production. “Re-export, transport infrastructure, resorts - all this is very important, but, first of all, we should develop production and the agrarian sector”, Bagapsh said.

He stressed inadmissibility of ignoring the development of the agrarian sector and charged the Minister of Agriculture Jury Akaba to tackle the matter of agriculture reform in real earnest.

“The development of agriculture will take investments, considerable cash recourses. We are ready to spend a part of the Privatization fund means on complex development of agriculture. If we don’t develop agriculture, we will ruin the development of the national economy”, the President said.

At the session it was also a question of the necessity to reform the judicial branch of power, to improve courts’ working conditions, to increase judges’ salary and authority, to solve personnel problems, to develop legislation, to work out subordinate legislation in addition to the laws passed by the Parliament.

The President also placed emphasis on the issues of education, training of pedagogical personnel, and expansion of the kindergartens system. According to him, the Ministry of Education should think of opening new special, technical education establishments to train specialists for different spheres of economy.

“We need the most rigid economy in all”, he said addressing the vice PM, the Finance Minister Beslan Kubrava.

“Distribution of money must be under the rigid control of the Prime Minister. I will too keep an eye on it”, Sergey Bagapsh promised.

Touching upon the issue of rendering assistance to veterans who need treatment, he said: “We must render assistance to veterans; however money should be transferred to a medical institution instead of handing it”.

Bagapsh promised to henceforth give particular attention to security agencies. He expressed discontent with the conditions military men serve and live in.

The head of the state charged the Minister of Internal Affairs Otar Khetsia “to revise the structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, allocation of responsibilities, to change the work style for the better”. “Efficiency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and criminality preventive measures are the most important thing”, Bagapsh said.

Sergey Bagapsh urged members of the government to employ more actively young, competent specialists, to appoint them deputy ministers.

“I have no doubts about decency and honesty of ministers”, Bagapsh said. At the same time he demanded “to introduce order among your employees". "Those who want to make big money, let them go to business”, he said.

Addressing journalists, the head of the state said that it should be done so that the voice of Abkhazia be heard more in the world.

According to the President, some changes should be made to the law on the mass-media providing for journalists’ responsibility for published materials.

Tuesday 2 March 2010

National Card Payment System to be Created in Abkhazia

March 1, 2010 - SUKHUM, ABKHAZIA -- According to a decree issued by the President Sergey Bagapsh, the National card payment system will be created in Abkhazia.

“In an effort to coordinate and regulate settlement relations with the use of cards, and to meet the requirements of the population of the Republic of Abkhazia in modern bank products and services, to increase inclusion of physical persons in non-cash payments and to create the payment infrastructure in the territory of the Republic of Abkhazia”, the National bank of the Republic of Abkhazia is charged to:

1)create the National card payment system (including cards of international payment systems) till December, 2010;

2)give basic provisions of functioning of the National card payment system, basic provisions of rules and standards of card payments till June 1, 2010;

3) develop a bill of the Republic Abkhazia “About the use of cards in the Republic of Abkhazia” till July 1.

Source: Abkhazia Gov.