Beslan Butba: human resource investment as top priority

-Is Abkhazia a democratic state? What can you say about the operation of democratic institutions, the freedom of press? If you become president what will you improve?

-Abkhaz political culture is to have democracy and freedom running through our veins. That is why in this respect Abkhazia has always been more progressive than many other countries in the post-Soviet space. Today we have made no progress developing democratic institutions. On the contrary, the authorities are trying to wind them up completely. Pressure on independent media, abuse of administrative resource. Public organizations are subject to control by authorities. Since the media were hard on the authorities for incompetence, the authorities declared war on them. We are going to encourage free press and freedom of speech. We will have a sound dialogue between authorities and the people.

-The Abkhaz opposition is disunited. Is there a tendency toward unification?

-I wouldn't say the opposition is disunited. More than once we represented a united front and solved issues together.

-A problem raised at an international level is the return of international monitors to Abkhazia. What's your position here?

-Why aren't there international observers in Italy or France? Or the United States of America? Under the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan international monitors must monitor the territory of Georgia that Abkhazia has nothing to do with. If the world community cares about security in Abkhazia, then let it monitor the perimeter of Abkhazia's territory and basin to prevent pirate assaults on civil ships going to our ports.

-Heated discussions are on about those who will vote and who won't. What's your attitude?

-Under Abkhazian law only citizens of the country at least 18 years of age having the passport of Abkhaz citizen in hand can be admitted to voting.

-In case Gal district residents are left without Abkhaz passports wouldn't that mean ethnic discrimination?

-All citizens of Abkhazia regardless of their nationality have the right to vote. But Georgian citizens can't take part in the election of the President of Abkhazia. Gal district residents that have made their choice by rejecting the Georgian citizenship committed no crimes against the Abkhaz state and are fully entitled to obtain passports of Abkhaz citizens. Our party is one of the few political forces advocating large-scale integration of Gal district population. This is a huge, long-term program and not mass distribution of passports to each and all including people that fought against Abkhazia in 1992-1993.

-How about mixed Georgian-Abkhaz families?

-Georgian-Abkhaz families is a common phenomenon in our country. I don't quite get the point. Should these families be subject to discrimination? The example that comes to my mind is current president of Abkhazia Sergey Bapapsh whose wife is Georgian. His reply to this question would be better. As for me I believe that international families enjoy the same rights as the Abkhaz families. By the way my wife is Russian - Marina Butba-Smirnova. And she feels at home here.

-How about Georgian refugees that want to return to Abkhazia?

-We must stick to the legal framework and act in compliance with the norms of international law. Of course we will not allow people that committed crimes against people of Abkhazia during the war to our territory. Georgian citizens can't be citizens of Abkhazia either. Everyone who wants to come back must fill in a refugee application form. Upon verification Abkhazia's special authorities will issue a certificate confirming that this person committed no crimes against our country. Each case must be examined individually. By the way most part of the population has already returned to Gal district. Abkhazia is probably the only post-conflict country welcoming back so many refugees. But look what is happening. The fact of their return is neglected by the international community. These people that came back to the ruins had no support from international organizations that had been lobbying the return of refugees for so many years.

As for the return of ex Abkhaz residents of Georgian origin to other districts of the republic I believe this problem is out of date. The war hasn't simply set the nations apart, it has created, or to be more exact, recreated a new reality. Abkhazia is a different society, a different cultural reality. And it has nothing to do with Georgia where a lot of ex Abkhaz citizens of Georgian origin returned. That is why I know these people will not come here again whatever the circumstances. Since they want to live in Georgia, and this is a different country. Abkhazia, its name is.

-What is your outlook for Abkhaz-Georgian relations in 10-20 years' time?

For our part I see no problems. We are ready to recognize Georgia's independence and establish diplomatic relations with it. As soon as Georgia gives up its territorial claims to our land, recognizes Abkhazia's independence, pays an indemnity to make up for the war-time and post-war damage to Abkhazia, returns cultural monuments exported from Abkhazia, we will be ready to establish diplomatic relations with it.

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Irina Ptashkovskaya