Gali District, Abkhazia
Gali District
გალის რაიონი Гал араион Гальский район | |
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UTC+3 (MSK) | |
Area differs from the administrative division of Georgia[2] |
Gali District is one of the districts of Abkhazia, Georgia. Its capital is Gali, the town by the same name. The district is smaller than the eponymous one in the de jure subdivision of Georgia, as some of its former territory is now part of Tkvarcheli District, formed by de facto Abkhaz authorities in 1995.
Gali District was populated almost entirely by Mingrelians, a Georgian regional subdivision, in the pre-war Abkhazia. The majority of Georgians fled the district following the inter-ethnic clashes in 1993–1994 and again in 1998. From 40,000 to 60,000 refugees have returned to Gali District since 1998, including persons commuting daily across the ceasefire line and those migrating seasonally in accordance with agricultural cycles. Gali District is now the only district of Abkhazia with ethnic Georgians constituting clear majority.
The population of the district was 29,287 according to the 2003 census conducted in Abkhazia but that figure is questioned by many international observers;[3] it was estimated at 45 thousand in 2006 although Abkhazian authorities contested this number claiming that at least 65,000 refugees had returned.[4]
Together with the
History
Historically, the present-day Gali District constituted the borderland between the principalities of
The rate of intermarriages between the Georgians and Abkhaz was high that resulted in the mixed heritage of the district's population and the introduction of the special category "
The subsequent history of Samurzakano/Gali basically follows that of modern Abkhazia, which became an autonomous entity within the
At the height of the
Demographics
According to 2003 census, the population of the district included:[3]
According to 2011 census, the population of the district included:
Human rights
In the Georgian-populated areas in Gali District, where local authorities are almost exclusively made up of ethnic Abkhaz, the human rights situation remains precarious. The United Nations and other international organizations have been fruitlessly urging the Abkhaz de facto authorities "to refrain from adopting measures incompatible with the right to return and with international human rights standards, such as discriminatory legislation… [and] to cooperate in the establishment of a permanent international human rights office in Gali and to admit United Nations civilian police without further delay."[5]
The security situation in the district improved since February, 2006 and was generally calm in 2006.
Georgia has also reported several cases of forcible recruitment of Georgian returnees into the
After the
On July 31, 2009, the breakaway region's Parliament passed amendment to the law making ethnic Georgians living in Gali District eligible for the Abkhaz citizenship. The move triggered wave of protest among opposition groups forcing the Parliament to revoke its decision on August 6.[11]
In 2016, murder of ethnic Georgian Giga Otkhozoria by Abkhaz border guards caused international resonance and raised question about human rights situation of ethnic Georgians remaining in Abkhazia, particularly Gali district, where 98% is ethnic Georgian and is often subject to ethnic discrimination, denial of political and civil rights, police misconduct etc.[12][13][14]
Administration
On 11 February 1991, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of Georgia dismissed
Ruslan Kishmaria was reappointed as Administration Head on 10 May 2001 following the March 2001 local elections.[16]
After the
On 2 June 2014, following the
List of district governors
# | Name | From | Until | President | Comments | ||
Chairmen of the District Soviet: | |||||||
Vakhtang Kolbaia | 1984 | 1990 | |||||
Rabo Shonia | ? | 11 February 1991 | [15] | ||||
Prefects: | |||||||
Edisher Janjulia | 11 February 1991 | [15] | ? | ||||
Heads of the District Administration: | |||||||
Vazha Zarandia | December 1993 | [21] | April 1994 | [21] | |||
Ruslan Kishmaria | May 1994 | [22] | 26 November 1994 | ||||
26 November 1994 | 1997 | [22] | Vladislav Ardzinba | ||||
Valeri Lomia | 1997 | 1998 | |||||
Ruslan Kishmaria | 1998 | [22] | March 2004 | ||||
Yuri Kvekveskiri | March 2004 | [17] | 2005 | ||||
2005 | 23 May 2007 | [18] | Sergei Bagapsh | ||||
Beslan Arshba | 23 May 2007 | [18] | 26 September 2011 | ||||
26 September 2011 | 2 June 2014 | [19] | Alexander Ankvab | ||||
Vakhtang Maan | 2 June 2014 | [19] | 11 November 2014 | [20] | Valeri Bganba | Acting | |
Temur Nadaraia | 11 November 2014 | [20] | Present | Raul Khajimba | Acting |
Economy
External images | |
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Gali district countryside[23] | |
Street in Gali District[24] |
The Gali District is a rich agricultural area for tea, citrus, hazelnuts and vegetables. The
Gali's residents are allowed to relatively freely cross into the neighboring Georgian districts, but must pay 50
The district's 2006 budget was 7.5 million Russian roubles ($300,000) but 30 per cent is tax revenue forwarded to Sukhumi. The remaining 70 per cent is spent on salaries, pensions and administration expenses. However, the district's budget does not include allocations from the central budget, which tend to be ad hoc, dependent on particular needs.[4] The infrastructure remains in the state of collapse and, in spite of the limited international humanitarian aid, the majority of returnees continue to live in damaged houses or temporary shelters.[27]
See also
References
- Russian-occupied territory.
- ^ Gali district according to the administrative division of Georgia has an area of 1,003 km2 and is somewhat bigger than the de facto Gali district
- ^ a b c 2003 Census results (in Russian)
- ^ a b c d e f g h Abkhazia Today. Archived 2011-09-03 at the Wayback Machine The International Crisis Group Europe Report N°176, 15 September 2006, page 11. Retrieved on May 27, 2007. Free registration needed to view full report
- ^ Report of the Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons – Mission to Georgia Archived December 23, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. United Nations: 2006.
- ^ Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, 26 June 2006 Archived October 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Timeline 2003, Civil Georgia. Retrieved April 30, 2008. Archived November 18, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ International Crisis Group, GEORGIA AND RUSSIA: CLASHING OVER ABKHAZIA, 05.06.08
- ^ Abkhaz Incident Opens Up New Vista In Georgia Conflict Archived 2009-04-18 at the Wayback Machine. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. March 4, 2009
- ^ OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities deeply concerned by recent developments in Abkhazia. OSCE Press Release. 14 April 2009 Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Head of Abkhaz NSC Resigns. Civil Georgia. 18 August 2009
- ^ "How are the rights of Georgian children violated in Gali district of occupied Abkhazia? [VIDEO]". Agenda.ge. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ "Tragic Drowning in Enguri Highlights Tbilisi's Policy Failure in Gali". Civil Georgia. 2023-05-27. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ "Occupied Lives: Georgians' Daily Struggles Under Russian Control in Gali". Caucasus Watch. 2023-07-05. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ a b c "ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕ ПРЕЗИДИУМА ВЕРХОВНОГО СОВЕТА АБХАЗСКОЙ АССР И СОВЕТА МИНИСТРОВ АБХАЗСКОЙ АССР". February 1991. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ^ "Выпуск № 92". Apsnypress. 10 May 2001. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
- ^ a b Kuchuberia, Anzhela (25 March 2004). "Назначен новый глава Гальского района Абхазии". Caucasian Knot. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
- ^ a b c since 23.05.2007; Regnum.ru Назначен новый глава Гальского района Абхазии, 23.05.2007
- ^ a b c "Тимур Гогуа и Беслан Аршба освобождены от должностей глав Администраций Ткуарчалского и Галского районов". Apsnypress. 2 June 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
- ^ a b c "Надарая Темур Хухутович назначен исполняющим обязанности главы администрации Галского района". Apsnypress. 11 November 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-11-26. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ^ a b Lakoba, Stanislav. "Кто есть кто в Абхазии". Archived from the original on 12 May 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ a b c "Кишмария Руслан Ражденович". Caucasian Knot. 24 September 2004. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
- ^ Photos by Patrick Perrier, 26.10.2008
- ^ Geotimes Archived 2008-09-06 at the Wayback Machine 4.1.2009
- ^ Prelz Oltramonti, Giulia (2016). "Southbound Russia: processes of bordering and de-bordering between 1993 and 2013". Connexe.
- S2CID 219185502.
- ECHO. February 1, 2006. Retrieved July 12, 2007.