13/01/2020 15:41
Abkhazia’s parliament authorizes PM Bganba to act as president
Abkhazia’s parliament has authorized Prime Minister Valery Bganba to act as president following Raul Khajimba’s resignation from the post, a TASS correspondent reported on Monday.
The decision was taken unanimously by all the 34 lawmakers present at the session.
Earlier, Abkhazia’s parliament voted to accept President Raul Khajimba’s resignation. "To accept resignation of President of Republic of Abkhazia Raul Khajimba. To authorize Prime Minister Valery Bganba to act as president till the elections of the Abkhazian president. This order enters into force on the day of its approval," the document supported by Abkhaz lawmakers says.
According to parliament speaker Valery Kvarchiya, Bganba already has such political experience as he once acted as Abkhazia’s president.
Bganba, 67, has been working with Abkhazia’s power bodies since early 1990s. In 1991, he was elected member of Abkhazia’s parliament (Supreme Council). During the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict of 1992-1993, Bganba was a member of the defense headquarters of the city of Gagra. In the late 1990s-early 2000s, he worked in power bodies of the Gagra district. In 2007-2012, he was member of Abkhazia’s parliament (National Assembly), becoming its speaker in April 2012. Following resignation of the then Abkhazian President Alexander Ankvab in May 2014, Bganba was appointed acting head of state to cede the office to Raul Khajimba after elections in August 2014.