Teachers and Doctors Shall Take Abkhazian Passports Before De-facto Presidential Elections

Geronti Kalichava, Zugdidi

De-facto government of Abkhazia ordered teachers and doctors working in the occupied Gali district to take Abkhazian passports. Teacher of the secondary school in the village of Tagiloni in Gali district reported to the Human Rights Center about it. According to her, teachers shall take passports before November. Meanwhile they have to prepare other documents. The price for the passport is 300 rubles (approximately 7 Euros). Besides that, teachers shall pay additional 150 rubles to the Notary.

Doctors working in Gali district face similar problems. They are also compelled to take Abkhazian passports before November; unless they take the document, they will lose right to work and live in Abkhazia. Doctor of the hospital in the village of Otobaia said in his conversation with the Human Rights Center that they have to take Abkhazian passports before presidential elections. The respondent prefers to stay anonymous and said the situation in the occupied villages has changed before elections and the villagers might also be compelled to take Abkhazian passports.

Our second respondent, who holds double citizenship, said nobody has ordered him to take Abkhazian passport and does not need the document. Woman from Gali district said his son visited Gali passport department where he was refused to take the passport because he had not provided various documents.

Tornike Kilanava, representative of the legitimate authority of Abkhazia to Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, stated that passportization process is connected with the upcoming presidential elections in the de-facto republic. According to Kilanava, residents of Gali district are told they would not cross the so-called border and get salaries without passports. Kilanava said the population will have to take Abkhazian passports.

Presidential elections in the occupied Abkhazia are scheduled for December 12, 2009. Sergei Bagapsh, current president of Abkhazia, ordered to compel people in Gali district to take passports because he hopes they will vote for Bagapsh in the elections.