The deputies of the de-facto parliament of occupied Abkhazia ratified the so-called agreement “between the governments of Abkhazia and Russia” regarding the Sokhumi airport. The agreement implies the implementation of an investment project by a Russian legal entity for the purpose of updating the Ardzinba International Airport and its future utilization.
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The motion was supported by 30 so-called members of the Parliament, with 2 against. According to MP Alkhas Bartsits, there are already 2 investors who are ready to take up the project, and the special commission will make the final decision on whom the contract will be awarded to.
The lease term of the airport is 49 years. According to local media, a “special tax regime” will enter into effect for 25 of those, and some of the benefits will remain in force for the entire lease period.
Alkhas Bartsits explained that the investor is exempted from most of the taxes for such a long period due to the fact that part of the airfield is in the area of responsibility of the Abkhazian side, which does not have enough funds for its reconstruction, and the investor bears all the costs. In addition, according to the so-called deputy, the Abkhazian side will be obliged to provide a special regime of energy supply - 11.5 megawatts in 2023 and another 4 megawatts in 2024. For this purpose, two substations will be reconstructed in Agudzera and Dranda.
In the first stage, the Russian company will invest 6-10 billion rubles. According to the so-called Minister of Economy, Kristina Ozgan, the investor will ensure the preparation of project documentation, the linkage of technological facilities, and the maintenance of the facilities at his own expense, and will be responsible for the defects found in the facilities. In case of non-fulfillment of the conditions, the investor will have to pay benefits.
The so-called agreement on the restoration of the Sokhumi International Airport was signed in June 2023, within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. It was signed by the de-facto Minister of Economy of occupied Abkhazia, Christina Ozgan, and the Minister of Economic Development of Russia, Maxim Reshetnikov. In the first stage, reconstruction of 2.4 kilometers of the 3.6-kilometer runway is planned. If the project rolls out on schedule, the airport is set to open in the fourth quarter of 2024. The Russian side expects a passenger flow of about 1.2 million people per year. As Kristina Ozgan stated, the airport will maintain its dual-purpose status.
Sokhumi Airport first opened in the 1960s and is located in the village of Babushara, 18 kilometers from Sokhumi. It closed down in 1993 as a result of the conflict in the region. The airport is not certified by the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency and has not been assigned a four-digit International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) airport code. Consequently, international flights cannot occur there. ICAO recognizes Abkhazia as part of Georgia, and the assignment of the code is only possible through the mediation of an authorized aviation body.
