"Relations between Moscow and Sokhumi are strained... Imagine for a moment Georgia as an EU member at a time like this"

Nika Melia, leader of the United National Movement party, spoke today about the situation in the region and said that Russia is weakened by the war in Ukraine and that the situation between occupied Abkhazia and Russia is becoming increasingly tense.

Nika Melia writes that Abkhazians, who have seen the war, tell Russia that if the Psou border is closed, "then we will look to Turkey."

The opposition leader says we are in a complete vacuum in this important geopolitical process because of the government, but everything would fundamentally change if Georgia were a member of the European Union.

"Relations between Moscow and Sukhumi have aggravated since the so-called Abkhazian parliament amended the law on elections, and from now on only someone who speaks Abkhazian can become a parliamentarian. Because others, especially Russians can't and won't learn the Abkhazian language.

Abkhazians were told from Moscow that if this law is not repealed immediately, they will not be able to circumvent serious sanctions

In response, Abkhazians tell Russians that everyone in Abkhazia still speaks Russian, that they need it to preserve the Abkhazian language.... etc.

But these arguments are unconvincing for Moscow - in this law they see the same trend that has been observed for years in Ukraine, where the parliament passed laws restricting the Russian language in public bodies, which contributed to the establishment of the Ukrainian language at the official level .

This was one of the main reasons for Putin's aggression against Ukraine: the Ukrainian language in government agencies was an indicator to him that a Ukrainian state was being built and that the Ukrainian content would be in that state.

Similarly Russians now think that as long as the priority of the Abkhazian language is settled in Abkhazia, Abkhazians are building a state of "Abkhazian content" and not a Russian-speaking, Russian state.

Then Moscow asks a question: if so, why should I finance the state of Abkhazian content from the Russian budget? (Abkhazia's budget is 100% dependent on Russia)

Abkhazians answer: Well, you are obliged to finance us because we have legalized the Russian military base in Abkhazia, and if we had not done that, you would now have a border with NATO in Psou, because of Georgia.

In short, Russia is now weakened because of Ukraine, Abkhazians have seen time and are trying to lay the foundations of their separatist state "Abkhazian content" - Moscow has no time for them.

However, the Kremlin has hinted that if the law is not repealed, Russia will close the Psou border.

Then we will look at Turkey," they threaten from Sukhumi;

And where are we at this time?! We are now in a complete vacuum because of our government.

Finally, imagine for a moment Georgia as a member of the European Union and the attitude of Abkhazians to us at such moments.... It will surely change dramatically and we will have a pragmatic desire to live with us again," Nika Melia wrote.