List of Prime Ministers of Abkhazia

The Prime Minister of the de facto

De facto

De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...

independent (though only partially recognised) republic of Abkhazia
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...

is responsible for directing day-to-day government. While the Presidency was filled by one man - Vladislav Ardzinba

Vladislav Ardzinba

Vladislav Grigori-ipa Ardzinba was the first President of Abkhazia. A historian by education, Ardzinba led Abkhazia to de facto independence in the 1992-1993 War with Georgia, but its de jure independence from Georgia remained internationally unrecognised during Ardzinba's two terms as President...

- from 1994 to 2005, the position of Prime Minister changed hands a number of times during that time. It was created with the November 1994 adoption of the Constitution of Abkhazia

Constitution of Abkhazia

The Constitution of the Republic of Abkhazia was adopted by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia of the 12th convocation on November 26, 1994, and by the national referendum on October 3, 1999, with an amendment adopted by the national referendum on the same day.-Structure:The...

, although Gennady Gagulia became the first Prime Minister only in January 1995.

After 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...

succeeded Ardzinba to the Presidency in February 2005, he appointed Alexander Ankvab

Alexander Ankvab

Alyksandr Zolotinska-ipa Ankvab is an Abkhaz politician and businessman who has been President of Abkhazia since 2011. Under President Sergei Bagapsh, he previously served as Prime Minister from 2005 to 2010 and Vice-President from 2010 to 2011....

as Prime Minister. Ankvab was Bagapsh's Vice Presidential candidate in the 12 December 2009 presidential election

Abkhazian presidential election, 2009

On 12 December 2009, Abkhazia held its fourth Presidential election since the post of President of the Republic of Abkhazia was created in 1994. The election was won by incumbent president Sergei Bagapsh in the first round with 61% of the votes, thus gaining a second term in office. He was be...

, and as required by law, he was officially suspended from his post on 11 November and his duties were carried out by First Vice Premier Leonid Lakerbaia

Leonid Lakerbaia

Leonid Ivan-ipa Lakerbaia is the Prime Minister of Abkhazia and chairman of the socio-political movement Aitaira...

. Bagapsh and Ankvab won the election, and on 13 February 2010, Ankvab was succeeded by long-time Minister for Foreign Affairs Sergei Shamba.

#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1	Gennady Gagulia Gennady Gagulia Gennady Gagulia is a two-time former Prime Minister of Abkhazia and the current head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.-Early career:... (1st time)	January 1995	29 April 1997	(None)
2	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...	29 April 1997	December 1999	(None)
3	Vyacheslav Tsugba Vyacheslav Tsugba Viacheslav Mikhail-ipa Tsugba was the third Prime Minister of the Republic of Abkhazia from December 1999 to May 2001...	30 December 1999	30 May 2001	(None)
4	Anri Mikhail-ipa Jergenia	7 June 2001	29 November 2002	(None)
(1)	Gennady Gagulia Gennady Gagulia Gennady Gagulia is a two-time former Prime Minister of Abkhazia and the current head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.-Early career:... (2nd time)	29 November 2002	8 April 2003	(None)
5	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...	22 April 2003	6 October 2004	(None)
6	Nodar Khashba Nodar Khashba Nodar Vladimirovich Khashba is a former prime minister of Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia and a former mayor of Sukhumi....	6 October 2004	14 February 2005	United Abkhazia United Abkhazia United Abkhazia is a political party in Abkhazia. United Abkhazia was founded on March 25, 2004 as a socio-political movement, with the specific goal of presenting a single opposition candidate for the October 2004 presidential elections....
7	Alexander Ankvab Alexander Ankvab Alyksandr Zolotinska-ipa Ankvab is an Abkhaz politician and businessman who has been President of Abkhazia since 2011. Under President Sergei Bagapsh, he previously served as Prime Minister from 2005 to 2010 and Vice-President from 2010 to 2011....	14 February 2005	13 February 2010	Aitaira
8	Sergei Shamba	13 February 2010	27 September 2011	Social-Democratic Party of Abkhazia Social-Democratic Party of Abkhazia The Social-Democratic Party of Abkhazia is an oppositional political party in Abkhazia. It was founded during the crisis that followed the October 2004 presidential election by people from the presidential campaign of Sergei Shamba, who had come third in the election...
9	Leonid Lakerbaia Leonid Lakerbaia Leonid Ivan-ipa Lakerbaia is the Prime Minister of Abkhazia and chairman of the socio-political movement Aitaira...	27 September 2011	Incumbent	Aitaira

List of Prime Ministers of Abkhazia

See also