Public Chamber of Abkhazia

The Public Chamber of Abkhazia is an advisory body to the President of the internationally underrecognised Republic of Abkhazia.

Creation of the Public Chamber

The law on the Public Chamber of Abkhazia entered into force on January 1st 2007 and the first session of the Public Chamber was opened by President Bagapsh on July 20th of that year. Its self-declared purpose is fivefold:

• facilitate public participation in politics
• carry out consultations amongst the public
• formulate recommendations on draft laws
• advise the President on matters of civil society development
• exercise the role of a public watchdog over the activities of executive government institutions and the respect of freedom of expression in Abkhazia

Composition of the Public Chamber

The Public Chamber is composed of 35 members drawn from civil society, 13 of whom are nominated by the President, 11 by local administrations and 11 by political parties and social movements. The Chamber is headed by a secretary, a position currently held by Natela Akaba. Other members include the rector of the Abkhazian State University, Aleko Gvaramia, the writers Alexei Gogoi and Daur Nachkebiya and former Prime Minister Sokrat Djindjolia.

References

• A Survey of Access to Information in Abkhazia and its Impact on People’s Lives ARTICLE 19, June 2007.
• Общественная палата начинает свою работу July 19, 2007. (Russian)