Aslan Kobakhia is one of three current Vice Premiers and the current Minister for Internal Affairs of Abkhazia.

Early life and education

Aslan Kobakhia was born on 23 March 1960 in

Lykhny Lykhny ( ka, ლიხნი; ) is a village in the Gudauta District of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. History In medieval Georgian sources the village is also known as ''Zupu'' (''ზუფუ''). The village lies along the ...

Gudauta District Gudauta District is a district of Abkhazia, Georgia (country), Georgia's breakaway republic. It corresponds to the eponymous Administrative divisions of Georgia (country), Georgian district. Its capital is Gudauta, the town by the same name. The po ...

. Between 1981 and 1985 he studied at the Economics Faculty of the

Abkhazian State University The Abkhazian State University is the only university in Abkhazia. It was founded in 1979 on the basis of the Sukhumi Pedagogical Institute. Its first rector was Zurab Anchabadze. The study language is mainly Russian in the university. The uni ...

Political career

In 1997, Kobakhia became Chairman of the State Committee for Customs in the

Government of President Ardzinba The Government of President Vladislav Ardzinba was the first Government of the Republic of Abkhazia. Formation In February 1995, the Ministry for Energy was transformed into the state company Abkhazenergo, renamed to Chernomorenergo in June. T ...

under Prime Minister

Sergei Bagapsh Sergei Uasyl-ipa Bagapsh, (4 March 1949 – 29 May 2011) was an Abkhaz politician who served as the second President of Abkhazia from 12 February 2005 until his death on 29 May 2011. He previously served as Prime Minister of Abkhazia f ...

. He was re-appointed under Prime Ministers

Viacheslav Tsugba Viacheslav Mikhail-ipa Tsugba (, ka, ვიაჩესლავ ცუგბა; born 1 January 1944) was the third Prime Minister of the Abkhazia, Republic of Abkhazia (a de facto independent republic of Georgia (country), Georgia) from Decemb ...

and

Anri Jergenia Anri Mikhail-ipa Jergenia (; 8 August 1942 – 5 January 2020) had been one of the leading politicians of the internationally unrecognised Republic of Abkhazia since it achieved de facto independence from Georgia. From June 2001 to November 20 ...

. On 18 December 2002, following the appointment of

Gennadi Gagulia Gennadi Leonidipa Gagulia (, ka, გენადი გაგულია; 3 January 1947 – 8 September 2018) was an Abkhazian politician who was three-time prime minister of Abkhazia and the head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He ...

as Prime Minister, Kobakhia was replaced by

Gagra District Gagra District is a district of Abkhazia. It corresponds to the Administrative divisions of Georgia (country), Georgian district by the same name. In medieval times, it was known as the southern part of Sadzen. It is located in the western part of ...

Head

Grigori Enik Grigory, Grigori and Grigoriy () are Russian masculine given names. Russian version of Gregory (given name). Grigory * Grigory Baklanov (1923–2009), Russian novelist * Grigory Barenblatt (1927–2018), Russian mathematician * Grigory Bey-Bienk ...

. In the March 2012 election, Kobakhia was elected to the 5th convocation of the

People's Assembly of Abkhazia The People's Assembly – Parliament of the Republic of Abkhazia (, ka, აფხაზეთის ე.წ რესპუბლიკის სახალხო კრება, tr, ) is the unicameral legislature of the Abkhazia, Republic o ...

in constituency no. 2 (

Sukhumi Sukhumi or Sokhumi is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the Capital city, capital and largest city of Abkhazia, a partially recognised state that most countries consider a part of Georgia (country), Georgia. The ...

). He won a 25.35% plurality in the first round over six other candidates and defeated Akhra Abukhba in the run-off. Kobakhia had been nominated by the opposition

Forum for the National Unity of Abkhazia The Forum for the National Unity of Abkhazia (FNUA; ; ; ka, აფხაზეთის ეროვნული ერთიანობის ფორუმი, tr) is a prominent oppositional political party in Abkhazia. It is led by former ...

and became one of four of its eleven candidates to be elected to the 35-member Parliament. On 16 August 2016, Kobakhia entered the

Government of President Khajimba The Government of President Raul Khajimba was the Government of the Republic of Abkhazia from 2014 until 2020. Composition Formation President Raul Khajimba and Vice President Vitali Gabnia were Abkhazian presidential election, 2011, elected ...

when he was appointed as one of three Vice Premiers and Minister for Internal Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Beslan Bartsits.

References

1960 births People from Gudauta District Ministers for internal affairs of Abkhazia Chairmen of the State Committee for Customs of Abkhazia 5th convocation of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia Living people {{Abkhazia-bio-stub