Aslan Bzhania's appeals for sharing sovereignty with Russia, according to the People's Patriotic Union of Abkhazia, amount to abandoning national interests, which is against the occupied region's 'constitution' and laws.

"We will have to relinquish a bit of our sovereignty," Bzhania allegedly declared at a recent meeting with the intelligentsia. And I don't think that's a tragedy; we effectively shared it with foreign policy difficulties, the ruble zoning, and so on. Something has already been done in terms of defence and security, but more has to be done... I only see a good side to this since maintaining modern armed forces is a costly and unaffordable event for us."

In the open missive to de-facto Abkhaz leader, dated December 2, the People’s Patriotic Union of Abkhazia warned Bzhania that similar statements “that contradict current legislation and international agreements pose a direct threat to the social and political stability and statehood” of Abkhazia.

"Public appeals to ‘share sovereignty' appear, to put it kindly, blasphemous," the opposition organisation claimed, citing domestic difficulties such as energy and law enforcement system challenges, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 500 people.

While the strategic partnership with Russia is "an unequivocal and evident truth," the Patriotic Union said that these ties are codified in "interstate accords" that emphasise "equal, partnership relations."