The de facto president of occupied Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, has announced that he is ready to resign once the opposition vacates the "government buildings" - namely, the so-called parliament and presidential administration.
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Bzhania outlined the conditions for his resignation at a school in the village of Tamishi, where he met with supporters. According to him, the "legally elected president" remains in Abkhazia, and the scenario of 2014 will not be repeated, when the then so-called president, Alexander Ankvab, resigned after demonstrations.
"There is enormous pressure on the deputies to make an illegal decision regarding the resignation of the president. Firstly, such a decision will not be taken; secondly, even if it is, it will not be implemented.
I don’t want you to get the impression that I am clinging to power, but if we do not protect the constitution, the country will not survive. Therefore, those who have occupied the parliament building and attempted to stage a coup d'état must be released. After that, I am ready to resign, and until then, the country will be governed by the Vice President, who will call for elections. Let the people decide who they support," said Aslan Bzhania.
For the second day, the opposition and their supporters have been holding a demonstration near the de facto parliament building, demanding the resignation of the so-called president. They rejected Bzhania’s terms and reiterated that their demand for his resignation remains valid.
The protesters also called for the resignation of the heads of the de facto Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Service, and Abkhazia Television.
