Council of Elders Calls for Extraordinary Congress to Address Abkhazia's Systemic Crisis

SUKHUM / AQW’A — The Council of Elders of Abkhazia, under the leadership of its Chairman, Apollon Dumaa, has issued a grave and urgent statement addressing the ongoing socio-economic, political, and moral crisis in the country. Citing a decade-long deterioration of governance and a growing threat to the survival of the Abkhaz people, the Council highlights systemic failures that have led to deepening societal divisions, the erosion of national values, and the endangerment of the Abkhaz language and culture.

In response to this critical situation, the Council of Elders has announced plans to convene an Extraordinary Congress of the Abkhaz People, aimed at analysing the root causes of the crisis and developing a path toward national recovery. An Organising Committee is being formed to oversee the congress preparations.

The full statement, signed by Apollon Dumaa, Chairman of the Council of Elders, reads as follows:

The protracted socio-economic, political, and spiritual-moral crisis that has gripped the country for over a decade has reached a dangerous threshold, beyond which destructive processes could begin, threatening not only the Abkhaz state but the very existence of the Abkhaz people. The state governance system has been brought to the brink of collapse, and the authorities have proven utterly incapable of ensuring even the basic needs of citizens, such as water, electricity, and heating.

The unity of the people is being undermined, and divisions in society are deepening into irreconcilable, opposing groups. Conditions are being created that favour social stratification between the poor and the wealthy. Meanwhile, the demographic and cultural landscape of the country is changing at an accelerated pace, eroding fundamental moral and spiritual values and traditions. Historical memory is being distorted, the national culture is being diluted, and the Abkhaz language remains under threat of extinction.

Regrettably, the country has yet to establish viable state institutions capable of understanding the new historical realities, generating ideas for overcoming the years-long crisis, and formulating a strategy for building an independent, self-sufficient state.

This situation cannot persist indefinitely. A reckoning is imminent, and it could lead to national catastrophe. It is imperative to mobilise, without delay, the nation’s intellectual, spiritual, and physical potential to overcome this dire crisis. Time is almost exhausted.

In this regard, the Council of Elders of Abkhazia has taken the initiative to convene an Extraordinary Congress of the Abkhaz People. The purpose of this congress is to conduct an objective and critical analysis of the path taken so far, identify the causes of the ongoing systemic crisis, and outline the steps necessary to overcome it.

An Organising Committee is being established to prepare for and conduct the nationwide congress of the Abkhaz people.

The Council of Elders in Abkhazia is a traditional advisory body rooted in the country’s historical governance. Historically, councils comprised free peasants rather than nobles or princes, and they served as decision-making bodies for rural communities, ensuring inclusive and fair governance. Their rulings were respected across all social strata, reinforcing social cohesion. Today, the Council continues this legacy, offering guidance and acting as a stabilising force, particularly in times of political and societal upheaval.