President Raul Khajimba President Raul Khajimba President Raul Khajimba | Preceded by Artur Mikvabia Preceded by Astamur Tania Preceded by Grigori Enik | |
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Beslan Bartsits (born 22 July 1978) is the current Prime Minister of Abkhazia, having been appointed by President Raul Khajimba on 5 August 2016. In the past, he has served as Head of the Presidential Administration, Head of Gagra District and Member of Parliament.
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Early life and career
Bartsits was born in Gagra. In 2000, he graduated in Jurisprudence from the Abkhazian State University, and between 2001 and 2004 he was a post-graduate student at Rostov State University. Between 2007 and 2009, he was assistant to Raul Khajimba in his capacity of Vice President of Abkhazia.
Member of Parliament for Gagra
In the February 2011 local elections, Bartsits was elected deputy of the Gagra District Assembly in constituency no. 5 and became its Deputy Chairman.
In the March 2012 elections, he successfully ran for a seat of the 5th convocation of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia in constituency no. 11 (Gagra). In a field of nine candidates, he obtained a narrow first-round plurality with 20.86% of the votes. In the second round, he defeated runner-up Vitali Azhiba.
In Parliament, Bartsits served as Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Legal Policy, State Building and Human Rights.
Gagra District Head and Head of the Presidential Administration
On 22 October 2014, following the May 2014 revolution, he was appointed acting head of Gagra District by newly elected President Raul Khajimba. The following year, he was confirmed in his post.
On 16 May 2016, Bartsits was appointed head of the Administration of the President of Abkhazia, to succeed Astamur Tania, who had resigned.
Prime Minister
On 5 August 2016, Bartsits was appointed Prime Minister, succeeding Artur Mikvabia who had resigned ten days earlier.