Sergei Bagapsh
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Sergei Wasyl-Ipa Bagapsh
Сергеи Уасыл-иҧа Багаҧшь Сергей Васильевич Багапш |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 12 February 2005 |
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| Prime Minister | Alexander Ankvab |
| Vice President | Raul Нadjimba |
| Preceded by | Vladislav Ardzinba |
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| In office 29 April 1997 – 20 December 1999 |
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| President | Vladislav Ardzinba |
| Preceded by | Gennady Gagulia |
| Succeeded by | Vyacheslav Tsugba |
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| Born | 4 March 1949 Sukhumi, Soviet Union |
| Political party | United Abkhazia |
| Spouse | Marina Shonia |
| Signature |  |
Sergei Wasyl-ipa Bagapsh (Abkhaz: Сергеи Уасыл-иҧа Багаҧшь) (born March 4, 1949, Sukhumi) is the President of the partially recognized de facto independent Republic of Abkhazia, which is recognized by most countries as de jure part of Georgia. A former Prime Minister from 1997 to 1999, he was elected as President in 2005.
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[edit] Early life and career[1]
Sergei Bagapsh was born March 4 1949 in Sukhumi. Throughout most of his life he has lived in Abkhazia. Bagapsh graduated from the Georgian State University of Subtropical Agriculture in Sukhumi. During his studies he worked first in a wine cooperative and later as a security guard for the state bank. In 1972 he fulfilled his military service as the head of a sovkhoz following which he became instructor with the Abkhazian regional committee of the Komsomol. In 1978 Bagapsh became responsible for information in the central committee of the Komsomol's Georgian branch and in 1980 first secretary of the Abkhazian regional committee. In 1982 Sergei Bagapsh became secretary general of the communist party in the Ochamchira district. After the fall of communism, Bagapsh became a businessman and the representative of the Abkhazian government in Moscow.
[edit] Prime minister
Sergei Bagapsh was appointed Prime Minister of Abkhazia on April 29th of 1997.
The Georgian-Abkhaz tensions during Bagapsh's time in office came to a height in May, 1998, when the Tbilisi-based government-in-exile deployed forces along the Abkhaz-Georgian border.[2] In the resulting conflict, which was colloquially named the "Six Day War", 30,000 Georgian refugees fled across the border to the town of Zugdidi. 1,695 Georgian houses were also burned down.[2]
[edit] 2004 presidential election
In 2000-2004, Sergei Bagapsh was the managing director of the Abkhaz state-owned power company Chernomorenergo.[3] At the same time, he began to emerge as a likely opposition candidate in the leadup to the 2004 presidential election. In early 2004, he became of three leaders of the newly founded opposition movement United Abkhazia.[4] After on July 20, 2004, United Abkhazia joined forces with Amtsakhara, another important opposition force, the two named him as their joint candidate for the October presidential elections, beating out other hopefuls, such as former foreign minister Sergey Shamba. In the elections, Bagapsh and his main opponent, Raul Khadjimba, disputed the results. The Abkhaz Electoral Commission originally declared Khadjimba to be the winner, with Bagapsh a distant second, but the Supreme Court later found that Bagapsh had won with 50.3% of the vote. The court reversed its decision after Khadjimba's supporters stormed the court building. At one point, Bagapsh and his supporters threatened to hold their own inauguration on December 6, 2004. However, in early December, Bagapsh and Khadjimba reached an agreement to run together on a national unity ticket. New elections were held on January 12, 2005, with this ticket easily winning. Under the agreement, Bagapsh ran for president and Khadjimba ran for vice-president.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ "Sergueï Bagapsh". Caucaz.com. January 11, 2005. http://www.caucaz.com/home/breve_contenu.php?id=147. Retrieved on 2008-06-30.
- ^ a b "The Army and Society in Georgia" (PDF). The Center for Civil-Military Relations and Security Studies; the Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development. May 1998. http://www.cpirs.org.ge/Archive/AS_05_98.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-08-20.
- ^ "Breakaway Abkhazia Elects New Leader". Civil Georgia. 2004-10-02. http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=7963. Retrieved on 2008-11-09.
- ^ "Abkhazia's Leadership Struggle". Institute for War & Peace Reporting. April 4, 2004. http://www.iwpr.net/?p=crs&s=f&o=161049&apc_state=henicrs2004. Retrieved on 2008-06-30.
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Gennady Gagulia |
Prime Minister of Abkhazia 1997 – 1999 |
Succeeded by Vyacheslav Tsugba |
| Preceded by Vladislav Ardzinba |
President of Abkhazia 2005 – present |
Incumbent |
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