Tkvarcheli District

Summary

Tkvarcheli District (Georgian: ტყვარჩელის რაიონი, Abkhaz: Тҟәарчал араион, Russian: Ткварчелский район) is one of the districts of Abkhazia.[2] It has no equivalent Georgian district, as it was newly formed in 1995 from parts of Ochamchira District and Gali District, centered on its eponymous capital, Tkvarcheli. The population of the district was 14,477 at the time of the 2003 census.[3] By the 2011 census, it had increased to 16,012.[4] Of note is Bedia Cathedral located within the district.

Tkvarcheli District
ტყვარჩელის რაიონი
Тҟәарчал араион
Ткварчелский район
Mountains of the Tkvarcheli district
Mountains of the Tkvarcheli district
Map
Location of Tkvarcheli District in Abkhazia
Coordinates: 42°50′00″N 41°45′00″E / 42.8333°N 41.7500°E / 42.8333; 41.7500
Country Georgia
De facto state Abkhazia[1]
CapitalTkvarcheli
Government
 • GovernorAida Chachkhalia
Area
 • Total544 km2 (210 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total16,012
 • Density29/km2 (76/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+3 (MSK)

Demographics edit

At the time of the 2011 census, the population of the district was 16,012. The ethnic composition of the population was as follows:[4]

Economy edit

 
Coal is transported via pipeline (to the left) and trucks from the mines in Tkvarcheli district

The coal-mining carried out by the Turkish Tamsaş company is the district's main industry and source of income as Tamsaş's tax payments account for 75% of its budget. The company was criticised for neglecting environmental requirements.[5] Construction of a new cement plant is planned now, its output to be used for the Olympic construction projects in Sochi.[6]

Administration edit

Valeri Kharchilava was reappointed as Administration Head on 10 May 2001 following the March 2001 local elections.[7]

On 27 March 2003, Kharchilava announced at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers that he wanted to resign.[8] On 31 March 2003, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Daur Arshba was appointed the new Administration Head.[9]

On 22 March 2005, newly elected President Sergei Bagapsh dismissed Daur Arshba and appointed Timur Gogua in his stead.[10] On 23 February 2007, before the local elections, President Bagapsh temporarily prolonged Timur Gogua's tenure as Head of the District Administration.[11] After Gogua was re-elected to the District Assembly, he was permanently re-appointed on 21 March.[12]

On 2 June 2014, following the 2014 Abkhazian political crisis, acting President Valeri Bganba dismissed Timur Gogua, as had been demanded by protesters, and appointed his Deputy Zurab Argunia as acting District Head.[13] Following the election of Raul Khajimba as President, he on 3 November appointed Aida Chachkhalia as District Head in Argunia's stead.[14]

List of Administration Heads edit

# Name Entered office Left office President Comments
Heads of the District Administration:
Valeri Kharchilava ≤ May 2001 31 March 2003 Vladislav Ardzinba
Daur Arshba 31 March 2003 [9] 22 March 2005 [10]
Timur Gogua 22 March 2005 [10] 29 May 2011 Sergei Bagapsh
29 May 2011 2 June 2014 [13] Alexander Ankvab
Zurab Argunia 2 June 2014 [13] 3 November 2014 [14] Valeri Bganba Acting
Aida Chachkhalia 3 November 2014 [14] Present Raul Khajimba

Settlements edit

The district's main settlements are:

References edit

  1. ^ The political status of Abkhazia is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence from Georgia in 1992, Abkhazia is formally recognised as an independent state by 5 UN member states (two other states previously recognised it but then withdrew their recognition), while the remainder of the international community recognizes it as as de jure Georgian territory. Georgia continues to claim the area as its own territory, designating it as Russian-occupied territory.
  2. ^ The political status of Abkhazia is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence from Georgia in 1992, Abkhazia is formally recognised as an independent state by 5 UN member states (two other states previously recognised it but then withdrew their recognition), while the remainder of the international community recognizes it as as de jure Georgian territory. Georgia continues to claim the area as its own territory, designating it as Russian-occupied territory.
  3. ^ 1989, 2003 Census results
  4. ^ a b 2011 Census results
  5. ^ The Turkish Tamsas Can Resume Mining in Abkhazia If It Complies with Environmental Requirements Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine 09/11/2006 18:00, Official site of the President of Abkhazia
  6. ^ Ткуарчал отметил 65-летний юбилей 20/04/2007 18:13, Official site of the President of Abkhazia Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Выпуск № 92". Apsnypress. 10 May 2001. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  8. ^ "Выпуск № 053". Apsnypress. 27 March 2003. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Выпуск № 104". Apsnypress. 30 March 2003. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  10. ^ a b c Bagapsh, Sergei (22 March 2005). "О главе Администрации Ткуарчалского района". Administration of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia. Retrieved 27 January 2012.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "Президент продлил полномочия главы администрации Ткуарчальского района". Administration of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia. 23 February 2007. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  12. ^ "Президент продлил полномочия действующих глав региональных администраций". Administration of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia. 21 March 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2012.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ a b c "Тимур Гогуа и Беслан Аршба освобождены от должностей глав Администраций Ткуарчалского и Галского районов". Apsnypress. 2 June 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  14. ^ a b c "Аида Чачхалия назначена главой администрации Ткуарчалского района". Apsnypress. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.