Vyacheslav Tsugba

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5th Prime Minister of Abkhazia
Vyacheslav Tsugba

In office October 9, 2004 – February 14, 2005
President	Vladislav Ardzinba
Preceded by	Sergei Bagapsh
Succeeded by	Anri Djergenia

Born	1944

Vyacheslav Tsugba (born 1944) was the fifth Prime Minister of the Republic of Abkhazia (a de facto independent republic of Georgia) from December 1999 to June 2001. Before his appointment as Prime Minister, Tsugba had headed the Central Election Committee, which had overseen the internationally unrecognized 1999 referendum on independence.

Tsugba's time as Prime Minister was marked by a relative thawing of tensions between Abkhazia and Georgia. While Tsugba, like all the other Prime Ministers, strongly opposed any idea of reunification with Georgia, and highly criticised cross-border raids by Georgian paramilitaries, he managed to demilitarise the conflict to a degree. This was highlighted by an agreement signed in July 2000, where both sides agreed not to settle the conflict by force. He tended to negotiate alongside foreign minister Sergey Shamba, rather than handling negotiations himself.

Tsugba resigned after being criticised by several opposition rallies, mainly led by the Amtsakhara movement. His official explanation of his resignation stated that "serious problems have arisen in connection with lawmaking, the professional qualifications of personnel at all levels of administration, from the highest to the lowest, with their accountability and the need to improve management and increase strict control and institute an uncompromising fight against crime."

Tsugba has been a member of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia since 2002.