It seems that the occupants and the separatist authorities have found a way around the provisions of the separatist "law" prohibiting the sale of real estate in Abkhazia to persons who do not have separatist "citizenship". We are talking about the "law" "on regulation of the legal status of apart-hotels and apartments" that is now being prepared for adoption by the separatist "parliament". By this law those who originally had nothing to do with Abkhazia will legally own real estate here and will be able to live there legally.

This will greatly facilitate the already rapid process of settlement of non-Abkhazians and turn Abkhazia into "seaside Armenia" where Abkhazians themselves are already becoming a small minority (like Yezids in today's Republic of Armenia). Moreover, the settlers, many of whom already have two citizenships (Russian and Armenian) do not need additional "citizenship" of the separatist quasi-state entity.

Aware that because of the law on apartments "Abkhazians may quickly become an insignificant minority in Abkhazia" Abkhazian patriots are trying to protest the distribution of their land through "apartments". Abkhazian TV channels are already writing that soon after the law enters into force there will be 2-3 Abkhazians for every 100 people on the streets of Abkhazian towns and villages at best. However, it seems that the sponsors of separatism this time decided to organize this loophole for mass settlement of Abkhazia from outside as soon as possible.

Justifying the need for the law "on apartments" separatist "president of Abkhazia" Aslan Bzhania noted that Abkhazia cannot solve their problems alone and they cannot count on Russian financial aid, because of the war in Ukraine. At the same time, according to him, "Russian business" is looking for investment opportunities outside Russia. To allay the fears of the opponents of the law, Aslan Bzhania said:

"The land will remain the property of the state, and ownership of the apartments will not give rise to citizenship or residency rights. The owner of the apartments will not have the opportunity or right to participate in the political life of Abkhazia. Mechanisms have been put in place to prevent the acquisition of apartments by persons who pose a threat to our state. It is necessary to change the image of the country from the established "Abkhazia - a place for summer holidays for poor tourists" to "Abkhazia - a place for year-round vacation for wealthy tourists". The peculiarities of the apartments are also that they are busy in the off-season, in the autumn and winter period".

In short, "tourists" will settle in Abkhazia permanently and settle here. Naturally, ethnic Georgians will not be allowed to settle on the separatist territory even through the "law of apartments". After all, Georgians are presented as a "threat" to the separatist "state".

But representatives of the "most ancient people" will settle even more actively. Especially, from "Artsakh" whose separatist project is completely doomed, and which even Ruben Vardanyan, who was specially sent from Moscow to Karabakh for this purpose, could not "reanimate". The more so because, thanks to the law on 'apartments', the new Armenian settlers will no longer have to spend money on the purchase of separatist 'citizenship'. Well, they do not need to "take part in political life of Abkhazia". For this purpose there are ethnic Armenians that already have separatist "citizenship" and majority vote in Abkhazia.

At the same time through the "law" on "apartments" settlement of "trophy" houses seized by marauders from the expelled Georgian population in 1992-1993 can be "legalized". Most likely, to begin with they can be moved into the category of "uninhabited" real estate as "dilapidated and unfit for habitation", and then repaired or rebuilt at the expense of "investors" and sold as "apartments" to new owners. In this way the mass of Georgian refugees will be illegally deprived of their right to their lawful homes.

George Kvinitadze