Energy crisis named as reason for Georgia to improve relations with Abkhazia

Georgian authorities should help Abkhazia in solving its energy problems; this opens up opportunities for strengthening trust and restoring relations, Georgian analysts believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 23, Russia began humanitarian electricity supplies to Abkhazia, said Djansukh Nanba, the Acting Minister of Energy and Transport of Abkhazia. The resumption of electricity supply from Russia has pleased Abkhazian residents, but raised questions about what Moscow will demand in return, and concerns about the efficiency of fight against mining. Abkhazian authorities have announced the need to save electricity so that it will last until the end of the first quarter of 2025.

Tbilisi has failed to react to Abkhazia's energy problems; however, this is a chance to improve mutual relations, analysts believe.

Abkhazia has made itself completely dependent on Russia; and the way out is to create new relation vectors with Tbilisi and the European Union (EU), Tamta Mikeladze, a researcher, has told the "JamNews".

"Tbilisi should be politically and economically ready to offer Abkhazia alternatives. But Tbilisi is not doing this and probably will not. Firstly, it is itself in a serious political crisis. Secondly, it is on the verge of an economic crisis. Thirdly, it has distanced itself from the EU," Ms Mikeladze has stated, noting that the actions of the "Georgian Dream" Government have led to a similar situation in Georgia.

Marina Elbakidze, a psychologist and conflictologist, believes that Georgia should help Abkhazia overcome the energy crisis. Apart from the moral principles of helping those in trouble, "from the political viewpoint, Georgia officially treats Abkhazia as part of its territory, which means that Abkhazians are Georgian citizens," she has stated.

Georgia could offer Sukhumi electricity on extremely favourable terms, provided that the mining problem is solved, says Paata Zakareishvili, a conflictologist.

Tbilisi should provide Abkhazia with deeper assistance in the energy sector, but under certain conditions, Vano Abramishvili, a researcher, is sure. "Since Abkhazia's energy sector is entirely dependent on electricity, it is important that Georgia begin promoting the development of alternative energy sources. <...> At the same time, assistance should be conditioned, for example, by the control over mining," he said.