STATEMENT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF ABKHAZIA

Dear nationals!

As it is known, in January of 1992 started the work of XII legislature of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia.

At the first sitting of the Supreme Council, in compliance with article 111 of the Constitution of Abkhazia the government of the republic resigned.

Although s for that time the new government was not formed, the Supreme Council of the republic extended term of the old government till May 5, 1992.

On May 5 of 1992 the Supreme Council of Abkhazia started formation of the new government.

On May 8 of 1992 on the position of the acting minister of internal affairs of Abkhazia was appointed Colonel of Militia Ankvab Aleksand Zolotinskovich. Despite this, Lominadze G. N., who had been carrying out duties of minister of internal affairs of Abkhazia before this, refused to resign from his position. He declared that he had been appointed to this position by the order of the minister of the internal affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia and correspondingly, he may be dismissed only in accordance with the order of minister.

Lominadze G. N. was summoned to the Supreme Council of Abkhazia and the unlawfulness of his actions was explained to him.

In reply to this on May 15 of 1992 Lominadze G. N. sent out a directive to all the heads of territorial organs of Abkhazia, in accordance with which it was instructed not to obey to the decision of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia and to obey only to his orders. 

On May 16 it was explained by the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia that actions of Lominadze G. N. are violating the Constitution of Abkhazia and continuation of his implementation of duties of Minister represent an attempt of putsch against the constitutional bodies of Abkhazia.

On May 20 of 1992 minister of internal affairs of Georgia Gventsadze R. L. supporting unlawful actions of Lominadze G. N. issued an order, prescribing to Lominadze Givi Nikolaevich continuation of carrying out the duties of minister of internal affairs of Abkhazia and ordering the entire personnel of MIA of Abkhazia to obey to his instructions, under the threat of bringing them to account.

Gventsadze R. L. and Lominadze G. N. motivated their actions by the order of minister of internal affairs of Georgia No 365 of November 15 of 1989 in compliance with which minister of internal affairs of Abkhazia can be appointed only by the minister of internal affairs of Georgia.

In reality, such order exists but it was issued during the period of administrative-bureaucratic methods of governance.

It is characteristic that in this order there is no single word in this order about any reference of the Supreme Council of the Republic in appointment of minister of internal affairs of Abkhazia.

Whereas in paragraph 17 p. 93 of the acting Constitution of Abkhazia is defined that all the ministers are approved by the Supreme Council of Abkhazia and there is no exception for the minister of internal affairs.

Consequently, Gventsadze and Lominadze have based their actions on the order, explicitly contradicting Constitution of Abkhazia.

All this was explained by the leadership of Abkhazia in oral and written form to the ministry of internal affairs of Georgia and to the leadership of the Republic.

However it did not give any result. Furthermore, On June 22, 1992 the Supreme Council of Abkhazia received a letter from the minister of internal affairs of Georgia with a categorical injunction to the Supreme Council of Abkhazia to make void a decision on dismissing of Lominadze G. N. and appointing of Ankvab A. Z.

The stated is a proof of demonstrating the straightforward disrespect towards Abkhazian statehood and its Constitution.

In relation with the created situation on June 24, 1992 representatives of the internal troops of Abkhazia evicted Lominadze G. N. from the MIA of Abkhazia and unlawfully appointed acting minister of Abkhazia, Colonel of Militia Ankvab A. Z. started to perform his duties.

There were no casualties and injured during the operation. MIA of Abkhazia has been normally functioning.

In view of the existent I am appealing to all the citizens to keep calmness and not to give in to any type of provocations.

V. Ardzinba

24 June, 1992. 

(Newspaper “Abkhazia”, # 23, June 29 – July 4, 1992)