The past week was marked by a scandal connected to the visit of well-known Abkhazian businessman Benur Kviray to Georgia. Information about this visit — which, as it turned out, had taken place as far back as February 25th — leaked through "mysterious" channels several days later to social media, Telegram channels, and media outlets. To maximize the atmosphere of tension, the authors of this information dump also circulated a video — filmed in reality in Abkhazia the previous year, but presented by them as freshly recorded in Georgia — in which the businessman proposes a toast to his Georgian friend: David Kvaratskhelia, now also a businessman and a veteran of the 1992–93 war. And given the events that followed, the "mysterious" channels of this information dump lead directly to the forces that call themselves the opposition.

For long months, the newly formed Abkhazian opposition — composed of former representatives of the authorities — had been searching for something to object to and something with which to reproach President Aslan Bzhania's team, doing so, it must be said, rather unsuccessfully. But recently its luck turned: "The Presidential Aide Visited Georgia!" The organizers of this "righteous" indignation were unbothered by the fact that the "presidential aide" was in reality a former aide, or that the visit was of an unofficial, private nature — on February 19th, Kviray had left his post precisely because the president had forbidden him from visiting Georgia while in office. In political struggle, any means are acceptable — or so, it appears, the current opposition circles of Abkhazia believe. And so the professional "patriots" from political parties pounced on a genuine patriot — and at the same time on the team of the incumbent president, which had no connection whatsoever to the entrepreneur's business contacts.

The Supreme Council of the veterans' public organization of the Patriotic War of the People of Abkhazia, Aruaa, issued a statement accusing the political leadership of Abkhazia, together with "greedy" businesspeople, of "readiness to trade the country and its independence." "We appeal to the people of Abkhazia, to those who went through the war, who lost their loved ones: today the homeland is once again in danger! Certain irresponsible politicians, together with greedy businesspeople, are ready to attract European investment via Georgia under the control of Georgian intelligence services, with the aim of drawing Abkhazia into Georgia's orbit. All of this is being presented to the people as a necessity for conducting direct negotiations with Georgia to resolve existing problems. We are once again compelled to remind you that negotiations between Georgia and Abkhazia take place in Geneva — and until Georgia recognizes Abkhazia, it is criminal to open a new format that would allow Georgia to realize its plans regarding Abkhazia. We hope that deputies at all levels, as well as every true patriot of Abkhazia, will lend their voice in support of our position!" the statement reads.

This time, however, the matter did not end with publications on social media and in opposition media. For the first time, such a stroke of "luck" had befallen the opposition. The "patriots" — many of whom had spent years driving Abkhazia into its current economic crisis through their own greed, while proposing absolutely nothing toward its resolution — appealed to Parliament with a demand to pass a resolution prohibiting trade and economic relations with Georgia until the latter recognizes Abkhazia's independence and signs a non-use-of-force agreement. And they decided to develop the political scandal at a rally hastily convened in the center of Sukhumi.

One of the most active participants in this demonstration was a former presidential aide — a self-proclaimed "patriot" of Abkhazia and, for some reason, of the DNR — in reality, a common bandit commanding an illegal armed formation that serves as a kind of paramilitary wing of the opposition: Akhra Avidzba. At the rally he expressed outrage at Benur Kviray's actions and his concept for Abkhazia's development — while naturally having no concept of his own. And of course he frightened those gathered, as well as casual observers of the opposition's performance, with "NATO ships" in the economically so-necessary trade port for the construction of which Benur Kviray, among other things, wishes to attract investment.

And representatives of the opposition veterans' organization Aruaa — who have long enriched themselves on contraband trade across the Inguri River — spoke indignantly at the rally about how "trade relations with the eastern neighbor are a very bad thing."

In other words: corrupt party veterans actually violating Abkhazian law were condemning a war veteran who belongs to no political party.

As for attendance, the participation of one such veteran — the well-known corrupt figure who had warmed his hands so effectively on contraband trade, both in the export, import, and even transshipment through Abkhazia into Russia — the former head of the Gali district, Timur Nadaraia — does not yet permit one to characterize the rally as large. They organized it themselves — and they themselves showed up.

The fact that more than 500 Abkhazian citizens had visited Georgia through officially established channels over the previous year did not agitate the "patriot" oppositionists anywhere near as much as the private visit of a single Abkhazian businessman. A political scandal cannot be manufactured from those numerous visits. And indeed, nothing came of this one private case either. The businessman's private visit had no connection to the current authorities — and the current authorities had no connection to the economic development concept prepared by a private businessman.

Yet that concept deserves the fullest attention. And fortunately, there are political forces in Abkhazia who recognize this. Among them is the party Amtsakhara, which assessed the opposition's actions as yet another "unsuccessful attempt to make itself heard" and declared that "the current opposition forces, for the sake of achieving their goal — a return to power through the escalation of tensions, destabilization, and the sowing of confusion and discord in society — are prepared to stop at nothing." "On March 2nd, 2021, at the walls of Parliament, the opposition attempted to turn a private person's life into politics. Akun (Benur) Kviray has no need of our protection — he is fully capable of answering for every word, every step, and every action himself — but no one has the right to use this situation for political purposes and to play on people's feelings. We have no doubt of the patriotism of our veteran Akun Kviray, who took an active part in the national liberation movement and is a veteran of the 1992–93 Patriotic War of the People of Abkhazia. He has never abandoned his principles — and we are convinced that under no circumstances will he ever betray them or his human qualities. We are also convinced that in a moment of danger for his country he will be among the first to rise in its defense. He has demonstrated his patriotism and love for the homeland both in battle — risking his life — and in peacetime, through his work and his assistance to people. The current opposition, on the other hand, while skillfully imitating an exclusive monopoly on love for the country and concern for it, is ready to accuse the authorities and all their supporters of betrayal and surrender of national interests. This behavior is a technology they have refined over many years," reads the statement distributed by the party. Amtsakhara is convinced that "neither President Aslan Bzhania, nor those who are in the country's leadership, nor the supporters of the current authorities have ever under any circumstances surrendered Abkhazia's interests — and will never surrender them, and will allow no one to do so." "We warn: we will allow no one to push the people into yet another confrontation. We are patriots too — and we care no less about the fate of the country for which our comrades-in-arms shed their blood," the party's statement reads.

And indeed — what exactly is Benur Kviray being reproached for by the small number of people who hastily gathered at the "spontaneous" rally? For wanting, instead of smuggling, to establish civilized trade contacts with partners across the Inguri — and to pay taxes into the budget honestly and genuinely patriotically, as those who have declared themselves official patriots have never done? For wanting Abkhazia to develop in accordance with normal economic laws, and for the Abkhazian people — whose standard of living is, after all, precisely what real patriots ought to care about — to live better? For having gone through the war from beginning to end and for understanding that the war ended long ago? For having an authority long and rightfully earned, and for speaking openly and honestly about what he thinks? For not participating in the political circus, one performance of which was recently staged in the center of Sukhumi? Strange reproaches, are they not?

But many in Abkhazia are afraid of the truth. And the truth is that nearly thirty years have passed since the war — and today's Tbilisi is no longer our enemy. And the truth is also that it is impossible, it simply cannot be done, to remain in a state of war for many long years. Just as it is impossible to go on robbing one's own people while hiding behind patriotism and love of the homeland.

One day the people will understand everything. Although, in fact, the results of the last elections have shown that the people have already understood a great deal about the former government and its "patriotism."

Adgur Agrba

The text contains place names and terminology used in the self-proclaimed Republic of Abkhazia. Opinions expressed in the publication reflect the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the position of the editorial board.