Daily Georgian Times, Georgia
Jan 5 2007

Ethnic Armenians demand 5 member quota in de facto parliament

Ethnic Armenians are seriously preparing for the upcoming elections
of the de facto Abkhazian parliament scheduled for 4 March. At
present the Abkhazian parliament of 35 MPs has only one Armenian MP,
Galust Trapizonyan.

Armenian Diaspora in Abkhazia has filed a requiest in Abkhazian
government in which he demands five member quota in Abkhazian
parliament, which will be represented by Armenians.

Experts tie the strengthening of Armenian Diaspora in Abkhazia to the
weakened positions of de facto president Baghapsh, who has a serious
rival in the election race, vice-president Raul Khajimba. Khajimba is
Moscow’s favourite and in fact governs the unrecognized republic.
Baghapsh, predicting possible defeat in the upcoming elections, has
no other way but to rely on the support of ethnic Armenians, who
represent the majority of the breakaway region’s population.