Khadzhimba Raul Dzhumkovich has been working as President of Abkhazia since 2014. He was elected to the post when the former head, Alexander Ankvab, resigned. Previously, the current president was the prime minister of the region (from 2003 to 2004), and then vice president. He leads the party "National Unity" in Abkhazia.
Family and biography
Raul Khajimba was born on March 21, 1958. A native of the city of Tkvarcheli, which is part of the Abkhaz Autonomous Republic. According to rumors, his family has Turkish roots, comes from a family with the surname Hadji-oglu, which was not noticed by researchers in any of the Abkhaz sources until the second half of the twentieth century.
After school, he worked as a locksmith, served in the army. He graduated and served in the KGB, then devoted his life to work in the Government.
He has two citizenships - the Russian Federation and Abkhazia. He is married to a citizen of Abkhazia, Said Kuchuberia, with whom he has two children.
Training and work activities
After graduating from high school, Raul Khadjimba left to work as a mechanic at the state district power station in his native city, then he joined the army for two years. After the service, he worked in the city committee of the Komsomol, then as a locksmith in the rest house.
Then he entered law school and successfully graduated in 1984, after working as a consultant at a chemical plant in Sukhumi. A year later, he was sent to the KGB school, after which he worked for 6 years in the city department of the KGB of Abkhazia.
War time
In wartime, the beginning of the 90s, Raul Dzhumkovich served as chief of state military intelligence. The Order of Leon, outstanding for special courage and selfless courage, was awarded to him for military merits.
Participation in the elections
In Abkhazia, Khadzhimba Raul Dzhumkovich began to take part in the presidential race since 2004. Then his candidacy was actively supported by the Russian authorities, but another candidate, Sergey Bagapsh, won.
As a result of the elections, a tense atmosphere reigned in the Republic. The situation could turn into a civil war, and in order to avoid armed conflicts, both sides decided to leave Raul Dzhumkovich as vice president.
In the next elections held in 2009, Khadjimba again lost to Bagapsh, having received only 15% of the vote against 59% of Sergei Vasilievich.
In 2011, Sergey Vasilyevich Bagapsh suddenly died due to lung cancer. Raul received 19% of the vote, losing to Ankvabu (54%) and Shamba (21%). As a result of the race, Alexander Ankvab became the president of Abkhazia.
It was not easy for Raul Dzhumkovich to come to terms with the victory of Alexander Zolotinskovich Ankvab, so he joined the opposition and tried more than once to refute the results of the elections.
The year 2014 was marked for Abkhazia by a coup d'etat, as a result of which Alexander Ankvab resigned ahead of schedule on June 1 to avoid bloodshed and civil war. And already in August, the 24th, Raul Khadjimba was nominated as a presidential candidate. He was elected with 50.6% of the vote.
The opposition side for a long time sought early re-election of the president, as a result, it was decided to hold a referendum in 2016.
Presidential Activities
Immediately after taking office, Khajimba Raul Dzhumkovich signed the orders on the appointment of the new Prime Minister Beslan Butba, the Chairman of the State Security Service Zurab Margania, the head of the Presidential Administration Astamur Taniy.
The President of Abkhazia is establishing Abkhaz-Russian relations, not once declaring that the main guarantee of peace in the Republic is cooperation with the Russian Federation.
On October 2, 2014, he adopted a decree on the acceptance of volunteers from Ossetia and Chechnya participating in the Georgian-Abkhaz war.
On October 31, 2014, he advocated tighter regulation of the transfer of agricultural products along the border of the Psou River, rigidly outlining the position of intransigence with smuggling citrus fruits. The result of this was the creation of a Commission to verify the customs clearance of goods (October 28, 2016).
In August 2015, Raul Dzhumkovich raised the issue of budget planning and taxation, with the goal of adequately regulating this issue.
On December 26, 2015, an important law was adopted on the procedure for entry and exit from the Republic of Abkhazia.
Since 2016, Khajimba has been focusing on the Strategy for Social and Economic Development (implementation plan until 2025) with special attention. The government promotes favorable economic growth in order to improve the life of the population.
Meetings and meetings on road safety are held on an ongoing basis, their goal is to reduce the number of accidents in the Republic with the participation of citizens of Abkhazia.
Abkhazia supports Russia in the Crimean issue.
During his entire service to the Republic, President Raul Khadjimba encouraged emerging and existing scientific and research projects, sports events, including e-sports. Active support was given to the development of the agricultural sector and agriculture. The President participated in international forums on human rights and youth development.
Khadjimba is particularly concerned about the future of the young generation of Abkhazia. He seeks to direct his activities to the greatest possible improvement and expansion of cultural and youth leisure. The President regularly attends various events: photo exhibitions, concerts, festivals, and exhibitions.
Reviews about Raul Khadjimba for the entire period of rule are favorable. He personifies the mood and spirit of the Abkhaz nation.
Relations with Russia
In 2014, at a meeting in Sochi with Vladimir Putin, both parties signed the Treaty of Alliance and Strategic Partnership, according to which Abkhazia and Russia have a common group of forces and border defense. The Russian Federation allocated a social package for Abkhazia: payments and pensions.