Shamil Adzynba Named Presidential Candidate by People’s Party of Abkhazia
SUKHUM / AQW’A — The People's Party of Abkhazia has officially nominated Shamil Adzynba as its candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
Observers from the Central Election Commission attended the party congress to oversee the voting procedure. Under current legislation, candidates nominated at party congresses are not required to collect signatures to secure their candidacy.
Shamil Adzynba is a seasoned political figure, a veteran of the Georgian-Abkhazian war of 1992-93, and a former First Deputy Prime Minister of Abkhazia. In 2011, he ran as a vice-presidential candidate alongside presidential hopeful Sergei Shamba. In the 2019 presidential elections, Adzynba secured 4.14% of the vote.
The presidential election, scheduled for 15 February 2025, will see several candidates contesting the position. Among them are Acting President Badra Gunba; opposition leader and former Minister of Economy Adgur Ardzinba; member of the Supreme Council of the World Abkhaz-Abaza Congress, Oleg Bartsyts, and former head of the Audit Chamber Robert Arshba.
Shamil Adzynba
Shamil Adzynba, born on 21 May 1970 in Batumi, Adjarian ASSR, is a decorated war veteran, political leader, and former First Deputy Prime Minister of Abkhazia. He graduated in 1997 from the History and Law Faculty of Abkhazian State University, specialising in law.
Adzynba began his career in 1987 at the repair and construction department of a pharmaceutical factory in Batumi. In February 1992, he relocated to Abkhazia with his family and actively participated in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict of 1992–1993 as part of the armoured units. For his service, he was honoured as a Hero of Abkhazia.
In 1994, Adzynba became the president of the football club "Abazg". His professional journey included serving as Commercial Director of the Sukhum Milling Plant in 1996 and pursuing business ventures from 1996 to 2005. Transitioning to public service, he held leadership roles such as Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Youth and Sports and Chairman of the Presidential Council for Youth Policy.
Adzynba entered high-level politics in 2011, running as a vice-presidential candidate alongside Sergei Shamba in the presidential election, where they placed second with 21.04% of the vote. He was a prominent opposition figure during Alexander Ankvab’s presidency and assumed key positions after Raul Khajimba's election. Appointed First Deputy Prime Minister in October 2014, he served under multiple administrations and twice acted as Prime Minister during transitional periods in 2015 and 2016. He resigned in August 2016, citing non-compliance with Abkhazia’s language law in government appointments.
Adzynba’s contributions extend beyond politics to youth advocacy and sports promotion, reflecting his deep commitment to Abkhazian society. Married with two children, he remains a significant figure in Abkhazian politics.