Iakub Lakoba
Encyclopedia
Iakub Uasyl-Ipa Lakoba is an opposition politician and former Presidential candidate in the internationally unrecognised Republic of Abkhazia
.
. In 1966, he graduated from Sukhumi school No. 10. In 1971, Lakoba graduated from the Moscow State University
's Faculty of Law. From 1972 to 1982 he worked under Bagrat Shinkuba
in the staff of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Abkhazian ASSR. From 1974 onwards Lakoba held several positions with the Komsomol
.
From 1979 to December 1999 Lakoba was a senior lecturer in Jurisprudence in the Abkhazian State University
and a member of the University Academic Council. Lakoba has written a total of 18 scientific papers and participated in and lectured at several international conferences and symposia.
During the 1992-1993 war in Abkhazia, Lakoba participated in the delivery of arms and drugs and was Vice Chairman of the Committee of the Red Cross Society of Abkhazia on Foreign Relations and Law.
From April 1998 to March 2004, Lakoba was chairman of the Committee for Legal Affairs, Environment and Urban Assembly Personnel of the Sukhumi
Municipal Assembly.
Since 1999, Lakoba has been chairman of the opposition People's Party of Abkhazia
.
, in which he and his Vice Presidential candidate, Fatima Kvitsinia, came in fifth and last with only 800 votes. After leading candidates Sergei Bagapsh
and Raul Khadjimba
decided to resolve the crisis that ensued after the elections by contending on a joint Presidential/Vice Presidential ticket in a rerun
, Lakoba was the only other candidate to stand again. This time, he chose fellow party member Stella Gunia as his Vice Presidential candidate and the pair garnered 3,400 votes, equal to 4.7% of the total votes cast.
On 15 January 2011, Lakoba published an article in response to the Russia’s State Audit Chamber's findings on violations concerning Russian financial aid to Abkhazia in the period of 2009-2010. Lakoba accused the head of Russia’s State Audit Chamber Sergei Stepashin
of trying to paper over financial violations in Abkhazia and to extenuate corruption within the Abkhaz officialdom. Lakoba said that Stepashin was providing defense lawyer's services to the Abkhaz authorities. "Paid or not paid - its another issue," he said. On 21 January 2011, he was arrested in Sukhumi after the prosecutor's office charged him of slandering Stepashin. However, he was released the next day. Since the Russian state audit agency declared that it would not press charges, the Prosecutor's Office declared on 18 February that it had dropped the case.
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
.
Early life and career
Iakub Lakoba was born 1949 in New AthosNew Athos
New Athos is a town in the Gudauta raion of Abkhazia, situated some 22 km from Sukhumi by the shores of the Black Sea. The town was previously known under the names Nikopol, Acheisos, Anakopia, Nikopia, Nikofia, Nikopsis, Absara, Psyrtskha...
. In 1966, he graduated from Sukhumi school No. 10. In 1971, Lakoba graduated from the Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
's Faculty of Law. From 1972 to 1982 he worked under Bagrat Shinkuba
Bagrat Shinkuba
Bagrat Uasyl-ipa Shinkuba, was an Abkhaz writer, poet, historian, linguist and politician. He studied history and languages of Abkhaz, Adyghe and Ubykh people...
in the staff of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Abkhazian ASSR. From 1974 onwards Lakoba held several positions with the Komsomol
Komsomol
The Communist Union of Youth , usually known as Komsomol , was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of...
.
From 1979 to December 1999 Lakoba was a senior lecturer in Jurisprudence in the Abkhazian State University
Abkhazian State University
The Abkhazian State University is the only university in Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia. It was founded in 1979 on the basis of the Sukhumi Pedagogical Institute...
and a member of the University Academic Council. Lakoba has written a total of 18 scientific papers and participated in and lectured at several international conferences and symposia.
During the 1992-1993 war in Abkhazia, Lakoba participated in the delivery of arms and drugs and was Vice Chairman of the Committee of the Red Cross Society of Abkhazia on Foreign Relations and Law.
From April 1998 to March 2004, Lakoba was chairman of the Committee for Legal Affairs, Environment and Urban Assembly Personnel of the Sukhumi
Sukhumi
Sukhumi is the capital of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. The city suffered heavily during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in the early 1990s.-Naming:...
Municipal Assembly.
Since 1999, Lakoba has been chairman of the opposition People's Party of Abkhazia
People's Party of Abkhazia
The People’s Party of Abkhazia is an oppositional political party in Abkhazia led by Iakub Lakoba. Founded in March 1992 it is one of the oldest political parties in Abkhazia. The People's Party was one of the parties that stood at the basis of the Forum of Abkhaz People's Unity founded 8 February...
.
2004 and 2005 Presidential elections
Iakub Lakoba unsuccessfully participated in the 2004 Presidential electionsAbkhazian presidential election, 2004
On 3 October 2004 Abkhazia held its second Presidential elections since the post of President of the Republic of Abkhazia was created in 1994, and the first that were competitive. Election law prohibited incumbent President Vladislav Ardzinba from running for a third term and he instead backed...
, in which he and his Vice Presidential candidate, Fatima Kvitsinia, came in fifth and last with only 800 votes. After leading candidates Sergei Bagapsh
Sergei Bagapsh
Sergei Uasyl-ipa Bagapsh was the second President of the Republic of Abkhazia. He was Prime Minister from 1997 to 1999 and was later elected as President in 2005. He was re-elected in the 2009 presidential election...
and Raul Khadjimba
Raul Khadjimba
Raul Jumka-ipa Khajimba is a politician from Abkhazia, leading the oppositional Forum of the National Unity of Abkhazia. Until 28 May 2009 Khajimba served as Vice President following the power-sharing agreement reached with current president Sergei Bagapsh to end the crisis that followed the...
decided to resolve the crisis that ensued after the elections by contending on a joint Presidential/Vice Presidential ticket in a rerun
Abkhazian presidential election, 2005
Presidential elections were held in the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia on 12 January 2005.-Background:A Presidential election had been held in Abkhazia on 3 October, but had resulted in a prolonged conflict over the results between the two main contenders, Raul Khadjimba, who had been Prime...
, Lakoba was the only other candidate to stand again. This time, he chose fellow party member Stella Gunia as his Vice Presidential candidate and the pair garnered 3,400 votes, equal to 4.7% of the total votes cast.
Since 2005
On 24 August 2009 Iakub Lakoba was awarded the order Axdz Apsha ('Honour and Glory') by President Bagapsh, for his long-term active participation in Abkhazian socio-political life.On 15 January 2011, Lakoba published an article in response to the Russia’s State Audit Chamber's findings on violations concerning Russian financial aid to Abkhazia in the period of 2009-2010. Lakoba accused the head of Russia’s State Audit Chamber Sergei Stepashin
Sergei Stepashin
Sergei Vadimovich Stepashin is a Russian politician, current Chairman of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation and former Prime Minister of Russia. He was appointed federal security minister by President Boris Yeltsin in 1994...
of trying to paper over financial violations in Abkhazia and to extenuate corruption within the Abkhaz officialdom. Lakoba said that Stepashin was providing defense lawyer's services to the Abkhaz authorities. "Paid or not paid - its another issue," he said. On 21 January 2011, he was arrested in Sukhumi after the prosecutor's office charged him of slandering Stepashin. However, he was released the next day. Since the Russian state audit agency declared that it would not press charges, the Prosecutor's Office declared on 18 February that it had dropped the case.