United Abkhazia

United Abkhazia (Abkhazian: Аԥсны Акзаара, Russian: Единая Абхазия) is a political party in Abkhazia. United Abkhazia was founded on March 25, 2004 as a socio-political movement, with the specific goal of presenting a single opposition candidate for the October 2004 presidential elections.[4]

United Abkhazia Аԥсны Акзаара Единая Абхазия
Leader	Sergei Shamba
Founded	March 25, 2004
Ideology	Social conservatism[1] Republicanism[2][3]
Political position	Centre-right
Colours	Red
People's Assembly	3 / 35
Website
http://www.rpp-ea.org/
Politics of Abkhazia Political parties Elections

It entered into an alliance with the Amtsakhara and Aitaira movements and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and they named former Prime Minister Sergei Bagapsh as their joint candidate on July 20, 2004. Bagapsh won the elections by a small margin, but new elections were held because of a dispute over the results with runner up, former Prime Minister Raul Khadjimba. Bagapsh and Khadjimba agreed to run together on a national unity ticket and won the rerun election in 2005.

History

Artur Mikvabia, chairman of United Abkhazia since it had first been created, announced 25 July 2007 that he would resign his post and retire from politics, but members of the party stated that they would not accept this, and Mikvabia remained chairman.[5]

In 2008, United Abkhazia signed a cooperation agreement with Russian party United Russia.[6]

On 27 January 2009, almost five years after its foundation, United Abkhazia was transformed into a political party. Daur Tarba, who had headed the Ochamchira district before, became the new chairman, Alkhas Kardava First Deputy Chairman and Zurab Kajaia Deputy Chairman.[7]

United Abkhazia held its fourth congress on 27 January 2012, which was attended by 359 delegates, and during which 11 candidates for the upcoming Parliamentary elections were chosen (the maximum number allowed).[8]

At its fifth congress, held on 12 June 2013 and attended by 330 delegates, United Abkhazia decided to pass into the opposition, with Tarba stating that President Ankvab, whose candidacy the party had supported in 2011, had failed to deliver meaningful achievements.[9]

On 10 July 2013, United Abkhazia signed a cooperation agreement with fellow opposition parties and a number of social movements, forming the Coordinating Council of Political Parties and Public Organisations.[10]

Daur Tarba resigned as Chairman of United Abkhazia on 1 October 2015 in a letter to its political council, in which he identified excessive formalism and a lack of internal political debates, and called for the party's rejuvenation. The political council accepted his resignation and appointed Aleksei Tania as acting Chairman.[11] The following day, Tamaz Khashba, Spartak Kapba and Aleksandr Tsyshba, Chairmen of the Tquarchal, Ochamchira and Gagra regional branches reacted to the announcement by also resigning.[12]

On 27 January 2016, United Abkhazia held its sixth congress, which was attended by 375 delegates. It elected MP and former Prime Minister Sergei Shamba as its Chairman, as well as MP Robert Yaylyan, jurist Viktor Vasiliev and Dato Kajaia as Deputy Chairmen and 43 members of its political council. It was said in the sidelines of the congress that Tarba had stepped down so as to make room for his long-time friend Shamba.[13][14] During the congress, some speakers criticised the government and on 9 February, United Abkhazia announced that it was leaving the Coordinating Council of Political Parties and Public Organisations, claiming that its role had been marginalised by the government.[15][16] United Abkhazia proceeded to initiate, together with the Party for the Economic Development of Abkhazia, the Council for the National Unity of the Republic of Abkhazia, uniting political forces neither pro-government nor pro-opposition, which was formally established on 29 February.[17][18]

On 8 July 2016, United Abkhazia signed a cooperation agreement with South Ossetian party United Ossetia.[19]

On 5 December 2016, United Abkhazia's political council deliberated about the confrontation between the government and the opposition, and in particular Amtsakhara's call for President Raul Khajimba to resign by 15 December. A proposal by Gagra party branch Head Teimuraz Khishba to call upon Khajimba to resign to reduce tension received support only from the party's Deputy Chairman Data Kajaia and Gudauta party branch Head Vitali Jenia. Khishba subsequently resigned as party branch head.[20]

Election results

Presidential

Year	Candidate	First Round	Second Round	Result
2004	Sergei Bagapsh	50.08%	-	Won
2005	Sergei Bagapsh	91.54%	-	Won
2009	Sergei Bagapsh	61.16%	-	Won
2011	Alexander Ankvab	54.90%	-	Won
2014	Raul Khajimba	50.60%	-	Won
2019	Alkhas Kvitsinia	24.26%	47.46%	Lost
2020	Aslan Bzhania	58.92%	-	Won

Parliamentary

People's Assembly

Election year	Seats	+/–	Government
2002	15 / 35		Government[21]
2007	28 / 35	13	Government
2012	3 / 35	25	Opposition

References

1. "In Abkhazia the opposition demanding the resignation of the interior Minister, broke into the building Department. The kidnapped Secretary of the clone of the "United Russia"". en.reporter-ua.ru. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
2. "Абхаз Авто. Абхазия. Abkhaz-auto.ru | Новости Абхазии, Абхазия сегодня, Сергей Шамба избран председателем РПП "диная Абхазия"". Абхаз Авто. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
3. ""Единая Абхазия": уход в оппозицию (Голос России)". abh-n.ru. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
4. Abkhazia at a Crossroads: On the Domestic Political Situation in the Republic of Abkhazia. Alexander Skakov. In Iran and the Caucasus, Volume 9, Number 1, 2005 , pp. 159-186. Retrieved on July 30, 2007.
5. Политсовет Единой Абхазии с пониманием отнесся к моему решению завершить политическую карьеру – Артур Миквабия. Retrieved on August 7, 2007. (in Russian)
6. Jarsalia, Said (27 June 2016). "РПП "Единая Абхазия" принимает участие в съезде "Единой России"". Apsnypress. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
7. "ОБЩЕСТВЕННО-ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОЕ ДВИЖЕНИЕ 'ЕДИНАЯ АБХАЗИЯ' ПРЕОБРАЗОВАНО В РЕСПУБЛИКАНСКУЮ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКУЮ ПАРТИЮ". Apsnypress. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
8. Galustyan, Levon (27 January 2012). "Анкваб не пришел". Echo of the Caucasus. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
9. Zavodskaya, Elena (12 June 2013). ""Единая Абхазия" пополнила оппозицию". Echo of the Caucasus. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
10. "Ряд политических партий и общественных движений Абхазии подписали Соглашение о сотрудничестве и совместную декларацию". Apsnypress. 10 July 2013. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
11. "Даур Тарба сложил с себя полномочия председателя РПП "Единая Абхазия"". Apsnypress. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
12. "Руководители трех региональных отделений РПП "Единая Абхазия" заявили о сложении своих полномочий". Apsnypress. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
13. "СЕРГЕЙ ШАМБА ИЗБРАН ПРЕДСЕДАТЕЛЕМ ПАРТИИ "ЕДИНАЯ АБХАЗИЯ"". Abkhazia Inform. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
14. Sharia, Vitali (27 January 2016). "Сергей Шамба – во главе "Единой Абхазии"". Echo of the Caucasus. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
15. ""ЕДИНАЯ АБХАЗИЯ" НЕ МОЖЕТ МИРИТЬСЯ С РОЛЬЮ СТАТИСТА В КООРДИНАЦИОННОМ СОВЕТЕ И ЗАЯВЛЯЕТ О СВОЕМ ВЫХОДЕ ИЗ НЕГО". Abkhazia Inform. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
16. Sharia, Vitali (11 February 2016). ""Единая Абхазия": новая смена курса". Echo of the Caucasus. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
17. "В АБХАЗИИ СОЗДАН СОВЕТ НАЦИОНАЛЬНОГО ЕДИНСТВА РА". Abkhazia Inform. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
18. "СЕРГЕЙ ШАМБА О СНЕРА: "МЫ НЕ ПРОВЛАСТНЫЕ, НО МЫ И НЕ ОППОЗИЦИОННЫЕ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИЕ СИЛЫ"". Abkhazia Inform. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
19. Jarsalia, Said (8 July 2016). "Между "Единой Абхазией" и "Единой Осетией" подписано межпартийное Соглашение". Apsnypress. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
20. "В ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОЙ ПАРТИИ «ЕДИНАЯ АБХАЗИЯ ПО-РАЗНОМУ ОТНОСЯТСЯ К ТРЕБОВАНИЮ БЛОКА ОППОЗИЦИОННЫХ СИЛ О ДОСРОЧНОЙ ОТСТАВКЕ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА РАУЛЯ ХАДЖИМБА". Abkhazia Inform. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
21. As Unity faction, since 2004.