Sergei Bagapsh was born on 4 March 1949 atSukhumi in theGeorgian SSR. Throughout most of his life, he had lived in Abkhazia.[2] In his youth, Bagapsh was a member of theGeorgian basketball team.[3] Bagapsh graduated from theGeorgian State University of Subtropical Agriculture in Sukhumi. During his studies he worked first, in a wine cooperative and later as a security guard for the state bank. In 1972, he fulfilled his military service, worked as the head of asovkhoz following which he became instructor with the Abkhazian regional committee of theKomsomol.[citation needed]
In 1978, Bagapsh became responsible for information in the central committee of the Komsomol's Georgian branch and in 1980, first secretary of the Abkhazian Regional Committee. In 1982, Sergei Bagapsh became secretary general of the Communist Party in theOchamchira District. After the fall ofcommunism, Bagapsh became a businessman and the representative of the Abkhazian government inMoscow.[2]
Bagapsh was named first deputy chairman in 1993, and then served as First Deputy Prime Minister of Abkhazia from 1995 to 1997. On 9 November 1995, Bagapsh was seriously wounded in an attack.[4]
Bagapsh became Prime Minister of Abkhazia in 1997.[5] Georgian-Abkhazian tensions rose during Bagapsh's term in office, reaching a height in May 1998, following attacks by Georgian insurgents on peacekeeping forces from theCommonwealth of Independent States. Subsequently,a military conflict erupted between CIS and Georgian insurgent forces. In the subsequent war, sometimes referred to as the "Six-Day War", Abkhazian forces eliminated the insurgents, and 30,000 Georgian civilians fled Abkhazia.[6]
Bagapsh (on left) shaking hands withDmitry Medvedev andEduard Kokoity in September 2008 following Russia's recognition of Abkhazia
From 2000 until 2004, Sergei Bagapsh was the managing director of the Abkhazian state-owned power companyChernomorenergo.[7] During the same period, he began to emerge as a likely opposition candidate in the lead-up to the2004 presidential election. In early 2004, he became one of three leaders of the newly founded opposition party,United Abkhazia,[8] which had been founded in opposition to then-PresidentVladislav Ardzinba.[9] On 20 July 2004,United Abkhazia joined forces withAmtsakhara, another important opposition party, and the two parties named him as their joint candidate for the coming October presidential elections, beating out other hopefuls, such as former foreign ministerSergey Shamba.[9]
Bagapsh and his main opponent,Raul Khajimba, disputed the election result. The Abkhaz Electoral Commission originally declared Khajimba to be the winner, with Bagapsh a distant second, but the Supreme Court later found that Bagapsh had actually won with 50.3% of the vote. The court reversed its decision when Khajimba's supporters stormed the court building. At one point, Bagapsh and his supporters threatened to hold their own inauguration on 6 December 2004. However, in early December, Bagapsh and Khajimba reached an agreement to run together on a national unity ticket. New elections were held on 12 January 2005, with this ticket easily winning. Under the agreement, Bagapsh ran for president and Khajimba for vice-president.[5]
Following Bagapsh's election, Russia placed an imports ban on Abkhazia, leading to several shipments of tangerines destined for Russian markets rotting at the border.[10] The presidential election and subsequent political crisis was termed by some, including the BBC, as the "Tangerine Revolution", both as a reference to theRose Revolution in Georgia the year prior and Abkhazia's tangerines.[11]
In August 2008, theRusso-Georgian War began following the2008 Russo-Georgian diplomatic crisis. Following the war, Abkhazia gained control over theKodori Valley, as well as recognition by Russia, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.[12] Following Russia's recognition of Abkhaz independence, Russian businesses began to invest extensively within the country, particularly in real estate, infrastructure, and energy. Pressure began mounting on Bagapsh from Russian sources to hasten economic privatisation in preparation for the2014 Winter Olympics, while Abkhazian political opponents accused him of selling off Abkhazian assets.[10]
Bagapsh first addressed the matter of his candidacy in the12 December 2009 presidential election when, during a press conference in Moscow on 18 April 2009, he announced that he would probably make use of his constitutional right to run for a second term.[13] Bagapsh was nominated on 27 October byUnited Abkhazia, with Prime MinisterAlexander Ankvab ofAitaira as his vice presidential candidate.[14] On 18 November, Bagapsh received the additional support of theCommunist Party of Abkhazia.[15]
In May 2011, cancerous growths were discovered on Bagapsh's lung. On 21 May, Bagapsh underwent surgery in aMoscow clinic. Though the growths were successfully removed, Bagapsh died on 29 May due to heart failure that resulted from what was described as "complications" from the surgery.[10][16] After the surgery, doctors discovered he had cancer.[17]Alexander Ankvab took over as acting president with anelection scheduled to be held on 26 August.[citation needed]
Abkhaz parliament speakerNugzar Ashuba told Russian state television that, although the death was completely unexpected, the situation remains calm.[18]
Russian presidentDmitry Medvedev offered his condolences saying: "Bagapsh was a loyal supporter of friendship and alliance with Russia, and he tirelessly worked to deepen close bilateral ties between our countries."[17]
A state commission was installed to perpetuate the memory of Sergei Bagapsh. On 26 January 2012, the City Council ofSukhumi unanimously accepted a proposal by MayorAlias Labakhua to rename the Square of theConstitution of the USSR after Bagapsh.[19]
^"The Army and Society in Georgia"(PDF). The Center for Civil-Military Relations and Security Studies; the Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development. May 1998. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 20 August 2008. Retrieved20 August 2008.
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