16:00, 15 November 2012

MFA: 103 Syrian repatriates returned to Abkhazia

As reported by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Abkhazia, the republic has received 103 immigrants from Syria. The head of Abkhazia Alexander Ankvab has ordered to pay a monthly allowance of 10,000 roubles (Russian rouble is the Abkhazian money) to each unemployed adult family member of repatriates and 3000 rouble per minor.

"Almost all the returnees are employed. Ten of them entered the preparatory department of the Abkhazian State University. Eight children are pupils at the Sukhumi lyceum-boarding house; six children go to secondary schools of Sukhumi; and four children go to kindergartens," says the statement posted on the MFA's website.

"Three villages in Syria, inhabited by Abkhazians and Circassians, were destroyed during the military confrontation. To date, another group of Abkhazian Diaspora is ready to return to their historic homeland," Sharaf Marschan, the Abkhazia's representative in Syria, told on November 14 at a meeting with Vyacheslav Chirikba, the head of the MFA.

Mr Marschan has also noted that some of them have problems getting Russian transit visas.