Incident with Abkhazian President's aide jeopardizes relations with Russian authorities

Aslan Bzhaniya, President of Abkhazia, found himself in a vulnerable position in front of Moscow after his aide Akhra Avidzba had rammed a gate on the Russian border, journalists note. The diplomatic status which Akhra Avidzba referred to cannot be used for personal travels and does not give the right to violate the Russian border, lawyers explain.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 7, Akhra Avidzba left Russia for Abkhazia and used his SUV to ram the gate on the border. The Abkhazian President's aide explained that he had to do that after waiting for many hours at the border, which he was not allowed to cross because of his debts. Even in the presence of debts, border guards had no right to detain a holder of a diplomatic passport at the border, Akhra Avidzba claimed.

Abkhazian President's aide has put the President "in an ambiguous position" in front of Russia, notes journalist Izida Chaniya. "I don't think it was worthwhile to compromise the country and hide oneself behind a diplomatic passport … After such incidents, not only president's aides, but also presidents themselves are expected to resign," Izida Chaniya said.

Akhra Avidzba was one of the organizers of the protests amid which Raul Khadjimba, the former President of Abkhazia, resigned, journalist Anton Krivenyuk emphasized.

Aslan Bzhaniya faces a "very difficult dilemma," and this fact may explain the absence of the Abkhazian President's reaction to the incident, the journalist suggests.