Adgur Kharazia

Adgur Rafet-ipa Kharazia Адгəыр Рафеҭ-иҧа Харазиа ადგურ ხარაზია
Mayor of Sukhumi
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 October 2014
President	Raul Khajimba
Preceded by	Alias Labakhua
Mayor of Sukhumi Acting
In office 5 November 2004 – 16 February 2005
President	Vladislav Ardzinba
Preceded by	Leonid Lolua
Succeeded by	Astamur Adleiba

Adgur Rafet-ipa Kharazia (Abkhaz: Адгəыр Рафеҭ-иҧа Харазиа, Georgian: ადგურ ხარაზია) is the current Mayor of Sukhumi and a former Minister for Agriculture and Vice Speaker of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia.

Acting Mayor of Sukhumi (first time)

Adgur Kharazia was head of the Gulripsh district assembly before he was appointed acting mayor of Sukhumi by president Vladislav Ardzinba on 5 November 2004, in the heated aftermath of the 2004 presidential election, succeeding Leonid Lolua. During his first speech he called upon the two leading candidates, Sergei Bagapsh and Raul Khadjimba, to both withdraw.^[1]

On February 16 of 2005, newly elected President Bagapsh replaced Kharazia with Astamur Adleiba as mayor of Sukhumi.

Member of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia

In the 2007 parliamentary elections Adgur Kharazia successfully stood as candidate in the Dranda precinct No. 24, winning a majority in the first round. He formed part of the opposition.^[2] During the assembly's first meeting after the election Kharazia was nominated for the position of speaker by fellow MP Rita Lolua but lost to Nugzar Ashuba.^[3] On the 27th of July 2007, Kharazia took part in a round table on free speech organised by journalists that called upon the government to end what it called the pursuit of independent and opposition media.^[4]

Mayor of Sukhumi (second time)

Following the May 2014 Revolution and the election of Raul Khajimba, Kharazia was again appointed as Acting Mayor of Sukhumi on 22 October 2014.^[5] On 4 April 2015, he won the by-election to the City Council in constituency no. 3 unopposed,^[6] and was confirmed as mayor on 4 May.^[7]

References

1. "MAYOR SUGGESTS ABKHAZ PRESIDENTIAL RIVALS SHOULD WITHDRAW". RFE/RL. November 10, 2004. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
2. "В Абхазии возросло влияние турецкого лобби". Новый Регион. April 1, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
3. "Нугзар Ашуба вновь избран спикером парламента.". Апсныпресс. April 3, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-10-29. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
4. "Abkhazian Journalists Call Upon De Facto Government to Stop Pursuing Media". humanrights.ge. August 10, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
5. "Адгур Харазия назначен исполняющим обязанности главы администрации г. Сухум". Apsnypress. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
6. "Итоги выборов". alhra.org. Избирательная комиссия по выборам в органы местного самоуправления г.Сухум. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
7. Khajimba, Raul. "УКАЗ О главе администрации города Сухум" (PDF). presidentofabkhazia.org. Retrieved 19 September 2015.