DECREE ISSUED BY THE PRESIDIUM OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE REPUBLIC OF ABKHAZIA on Temporary Procedure of “propiska” (registration of citizens at their places of residence - edit.) of the Citizens on the Territory of the Republic of Abkhazia
Before the privatization of dwelling fund and fulfilling the land reform, and before adoption of the law “on Citizenship of the Republic of Abkhazia”, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia decrees:
1. The following persons shall be registered (propiska) at the dwelling houses of the cities, towns and town-type settlements regardless the space of the dwelling places:
a) Spouse - in the dwelling place of his/her spouse;
b) Under age children and wards - in the dwelling place of parents or tutors;
c) Adult children having no family of their own or having under age children and are not married - in the dwelling place of parents;
d) Parents - in the dwelling place of children;
e) Under age sisters and brothers having no parents, disable own sisters and brothers regardless the age if they have no family - in the dwelling place of sister or brother;
f) Military servicemen and retired officers from the Military Forces of the CIS after accomplishment of the active duty if they were conscripted from that settlement - in the dwelling place they occupied before conscription, or in the dwelling place of parents or other relatives.
g) The persons previously residing in the settlement that left it for the purpose to find temporary job or get the education outside of the republic - in the dwelling place they resided before departure.
h) The persons released from penitentiary facilities after serving the sentence, and also the persons that had been removed restrictions from conditional punishment with obligatory involvement in labour - in the dwelling place of their parents or relatives they lived with before conviction.
The citizens temporarily left the dwelling shall be registered at dwelling place regardless its size (space) if by statute-established rules they retain the right on “propiska”.
2. “Propiska” of persons invited by enterprises, organizations or agencies as the necessary specialists shall be carried out on the exceptional basis and if the inviting agency provides the place of residence from its dwelling fund.
3. The students of high-schools and vocational establishments, trainees and students of qualification courses - arriving for temporary residence - are allowed to be registered for a time of study, as well as the members of their families.
4. The decision on registration (propiska) on the territory of Abkhazia shall be taken by the Commission on Propiska at the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Commissions under the local governing agencies at the towns, villages and settlements of the Republic of Abkhazia; the composition of the Commissions are approved by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia.
5. To determine the following procedures for taking decisions on and carrying out propiska of citizens:
a) The Central Commission on Propiska is entitled to make decision on propiska for the citizens migrating within the territory of the Republic of Abkhazia and those that arrive from outside of the republic;
b) The local city and district commissions are entitled to make decision on propiska for the citizens moving within the cities, towns or settlements;
c) Propiska of persons that attained the age of 16, as well as the persons that lost and restored or changed the passport, shall be carried out by the local passport services;
d) The relevant local agencies shall draft the documents and perform the registration of migration of the citizens (relevant dwelling and statistic offices);
e) The leadership of the relevant Interior Department shall submit the documents and background papers on propiska to the Central Commission on Propiska;
f) The decision on propiska is implemented by the passport services of the cities, towns and settlements of the Republic of Abkhazia simultaneously exercising registration, filing and address-enquiry works.
7. To consider null and void on the territory of Abkhazia the Decree issued by the Council of Ministers of the USSR #678 of 28 August 1974 “on Certain Procedures of Propiska of the Citizens”.
8. The Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Abkhazia shall provide to the departments of Internal Affairs of the City Sukhumi, divisions of interior affairs of towns, villages and settlements the stamps and letter-heads for citizens’ propiksa in two days term.
9. The organs of local governance of towns and districts of the Republic of Abkhazia in two days term shall provide the composition of the commissions on propiska to the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia for approval.
10. The Central Commission on Propiska at the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia shall exercise control over fulfillment of procedures set out in this Decree.
Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia V. Ardzinba
24 March 1992
(Personal archive of the author)