Konstantin Ozgan
Encyclopedia
Konstantin Konstantin-ipa Ozgan is the Chairman of the Council of Elders of Abkhazia and a former politician. From 1996 to 1999 Ozgan was a member of the Abkhazian government
, first as Minister for Foreign Affairs and then as Minister for the Economy and First Vice-Premier. More recently Konstantin Ozgan was Deputy Speaker of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia from 2002 to 2007.
in the Gudauta district
. In Soviet
times, Ozgan was the first secretary of the Gudauta Raikom and later chairman of the Abkhaz Oblast Soviet. He has been accused by Georgian intellectuals of being responsible for the July 1989 clashes in Sukhumi
, in which 25 people died.
From 1991 until 1996, Ozgan was a member of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia.
resigned. He handled much of the early negotiations with the United Nations
. He met then Georgian
president Eduard Shevardnadze
multiple times, as part of a regular series of negotiations during his two years in office.
As one of the entity's more moderate leaders, he once proposed a five year moratorium on discussions of Abkhazia's future political status as an interim compromise, in a similar fashion to the deal Russia
had at that time with Chechnya
. While this was the closest the two sides had come to agreement, it was rejected by the Georgian side.
In the earlier stages of Ozgan's term, he had overseen some of the more successful negotiations between the two sides. However, in 1997, tensions began to rise again. Ozgan accused the Georgian government of being behind terrorist
attacks on Abkhaz soldiers. He also demanded that the Commonwealth of Independent States
lift sanctions before any Georgian refugees could return to their homes – a policy which has since continued under his successors.
of ethnic Georgian displaced persons. On April 2, 1999, Ozgan survived an assassination attempt when four colleagues were seriously injured by a landmine.
, and became deputy speaker instead. Ozgan failed to be re-elected in thet 2007 elections
.
Konstantin Ozgan joined the opposition movement against former President Vladislav Ardzinba
, which in 2005 was successful in installing opposition candidate Sergei Bagapsh
as President. One of his recent proposals was an unsuccessful attempt to have the segment of the Abkhaz constitution overturned that demanded that a presidential candidate have lived in Abkhazia for more than five years before running for office.
Government of the Republic of Abkhazia
The Government of the Republic of Abkhazia is the de facto political leadership of the partially recognised Republic of Abkhazia.-Executive branch:...
, first as Minister for Foreign Affairs and then as Minister for the Economy and First Vice-Premier. More recently Konstantin Ozgan was Deputy Speaker of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia from 2002 to 2007.
Early life and career
Konstantin Ozgan was born May 15, 1939 in the village of LykhnyLykhny
Lykhny is a village in the Gudauta District of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. The village lies along the narrow Black Sea plain of Abkhazia at an elevation of 50 meters above sea level. Lykhny is located five kilometers from the administrative center of Gudauta. There are...
in the Gudauta district
Gudauta district
Gudauta district is a district of Abkhazia, Georgia’s breakaway republic. It corresponds to the eponymous Georgian district. Its capital is Gudauta, the town by the same name...
. In Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
times, Ozgan was the first secretary of the Gudauta Raikom and later chairman of the Abkhaz Oblast Soviet. He has been accused by Georgian intellectuals of being responsible for the July 1989 clashes in 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:...
, in which 25 people died.
From 1991 until 1996, Ozgan was a member of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia.
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Konstantin Ozgan rose to the position of Abkhazian foreign minister in 1996, when his predecessor Leonid LakerbaiaLeonid Lakerbaia
Leonid Ivan-ipa Lakerbaia is the Prime Minister of Abkhazia and chairman of the socio-political movement Aitaira...
resigned. He handled much of the early negotiations with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. He met then Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
president Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
multiple times, as part of a regular series of negotiations during his two years in office.
As one of the entity's more moderate leaders, he once proposed a five year moratorium on discussions of Abkhazia's future political status as an interim compromise, in a similar fashion to the deal Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
had at that time with Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
. While this was the closest the two sides had come to agreement, it was rejected by the Georgian side.
In the earlier stages of Ozgan's term, he had overseen some of the more successful negotiations between the two sides. However, in 1997, tensions began to rise again. Ozgan accused the Georgian government of being behind terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
attacks on Abkhaz soldiers. He also demanded that the Commonwealth of Independent States
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
lift sanctions before any Georgian refugees could return to their homes – a policy which has since continued under his successors.
Vice Premier and Minister for the Economy
After being replaced as foreign minister, Ozgan was appointed Vice Premier of Abkhazia and minister for the Economy. In 1999, he headed the Abkhaz commission that was to oversee the unilateral repatriation to the Gali districtGali district
Gali district is a district of Abkhazia. Its capital is Gali, the town by the same name. The district is smaller than the eponymous one in the de jure subdivision of Georgia, as some of its former territory is now part of Tkvarcheli District, formed by de facto Abkhaz authorities in 1995.Gali...
of ethnic Georgian displaced persons. On April 2, 1999, Ozgan survived an assassination attempt when four colleagues were seriously injured by a landmine.
Deputy of Parliament
Though he no longer occupied as much of a public role as he once did, Ozgan remained a deputy in the People's Assembly of Abkhazia. He lost a 2002 bid for the position of speaker to Nugzar AshubaNugzar Ashuba
Nugzar Nuri-ipa Ashuba is the current speaker of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia. He was elected to the People's Assembly in the 2002 elections, and he was elected speaker on 3 April 2002....
, and became deputy speaker instead. Ozgan failed to be re-elected in thet 2007 elections
Abkhazian parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections were held in the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia on 4 March 2007; a run-off round was held in seventeen constituencies on 18 March 2007. 189 polling stations were organized to elect 35 parliament members. 47.25% of about 130,000 registered voters participated in the first...
.
Konstantin Ozgan joined the opposition movement against former President 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...
, which in 2005 was successful in installing opposition candidate 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...
as President. One of his recent proposals was an unsuccessful attempt to have the segment of the Abkhaz constitution overturned that demanded that a presidential candidate have lived in Abkhazia for more than five years before running for office.