De facto authorities in Russian-controlled Abkhazia raise concerns over population decline

Konstantine Pilia, the head of the de facto administration of Gali, in Georgia’s currently Russian-controlled Abkhazia region, this week expressed concerns about the situation in the district, emphasizing the issue of population outflow during a meeting with de facto President Aslan Bzhania. 

Pilia pointed out that, as per the 2011 census, Gali district was home to 30,000 people, with 23,000 residing in villages. However, he noted the lack of readiness to conduct a census in 2024.

Highlighting a significant discrepancy, Pilia mentioned that while 137 children were born in the Gali district in 2023, only 59 birth certificates were issued. He explained that bureaucratic hurdles prevented the issuance of birth certificates due to parents’ lack of proper documentation.

The population decline, according to Pilia, began in 2015, attributed to issues such as “citizenship deprivation” and document-related difficulties. He claimed that while the trend had slowed, children were still leaving due to uncertainties regarding “citizenship prospects”, migrating to “various countries”.

Regarding the movement of people across the Enguri bridge [to the Tbilisi-controlled territory], Pilia noted 2,500 individuals cross daily. He emphasized that Georgian citizens not residing in Gali “can only enter with visas and special documents”.