Lukashenka congratulated Bagapsh on his jubilee a month later

Alyaksandr Lukashenka congratulated Sergei Bagapsh, head of the unrecognized republic of Abkhazia, on his jubilee, but did it a month after the event.

As the Charter’97 press center informed, the Belarusian ruler congratulated Sergei Bagapsh on his 60th birthday on April 4. However, he did this a month after the birthday of the head of unrecognized Abkhazia.

Vitaly Sharia, editor-in-chief of “Ekho Abkhazii” newspaper commented Radio Svaboda on this gesture of Alyaksandr Lukashenka as birthday congratulating and a sign after the March talks with Bagapsh in Sochi.

“Speaking about congratulation on the jubilee, Lukashenka was a month late to do this,” Vitaly Sharia says. “It happened some time after their meeting in Sochi, where they talked and shared some information. They agreed on the fact that Abkhazia should buy Belarusian equipment, including cars, at a billion Russian rubles. It is connected with facilities construction for Sochi Olympics and these plans were worked out long time ago.”

According to the editor-in-chief of “Ekho Abkhazii”, recognition of Abkhazia by the Belarusian authorities would be “a good present” for Sukhumi.

“As a matter of fact, recognition by Russia is very important for Abkhazia,” Vitaly Sharia says. “This is able to solve our economic problems. It’s clear that Abkhazia won’t lose anything in practical terms if Minsk doesn’t recognize it. Though the very fact of recognition would be very pleasant. From the other hand, the talks on equipment purchasing is a fact of recognition in some decree. It will probably cause dissatisfaction and a note of protest of Tbilisi.”