View source for Alexander Ankvab

{{Short description|Abkhaz politician}}
{{Family name hatnote|Zolotinskovich|Ankvab|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{Expand Russian|topic=bio|Анкваб, Александр Золотинскович|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Alexander Ankvab
| native_name         = {{nobold|{{lang|ak|Алеқсандр Анқәаб}}<br />{{lang|ka|ალექსანდრე ანქვაბი}}<br />{{lang|ru|Александр Анкваб}}}}
| image               = Александр Анкваб 03 (cropped).jpg
| office              = [[Prime Minister of Abkhazia]]
| term_start          = 23 April 2020
| term_end            = 
| predecessor         = [[Valeri Bganba]]
| successor           = 
| president           = [[Aslan Bzhania]]
| term_start2         = 14 February 2005
| term_end2           = 13 February 2010
| president2          = Sergei Bagapsh
| predecessor2        = [[Nodar Khashba]]
| successor2          = [[Sergei Shamba]]
| office3             = 3rd [[President of Abkhazia]]
| vicepresident3      = [[Mikhail Logua]]
| term_start3         = 29 May 2011
| term_end3           = 1 June 2014<br />{{small|[[Acting (law)|Acting]]: until 26 September 2011}}
| predecessor3        = [[Sergei Bagapsh]]
| successor3          = ''[[Valeri Bganba]]'' {{small|(Acting)}}
| office4             = [[Vice President of Abkhazia]]
| president4          = [[Sergei Bagapsh]]
| term_start4         = 12 February 2010
| term_end4           = 29 May 2011
| predecessor4        = [[Raul Khajimba]]
| successor4          = [[Mikhail Logua]]
| office5             = [[Minister for Internal Affairs of Abkhazia]]
| term_start5         = 24 June 1992
| term_end5           = 1993
| predecessor5        = [[Givi Lominadze]]
| successor5          = [[Givi Agrba]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1952|12|26|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Sukhumi]], [[Abkhazian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic|Abkhazian ASSR]], [[Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic|Georgian SSR]], [[Soviet Union]]
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Aitaira]]
| alma_mater          = [[Southern Federal University|Rostov State University]]
| signature           = Alexander Ankvab Signature.svg
| caption             = Ankvab in 2011
}}
'''Aleksandr Zolotinskovich Ankvab''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-us-Alexander Ankvab from Abkhazia pronunciation (Voice of America).ogg|ˈ|ɑː|ŋ|k|v|ɑː|b}} {{respell|AHNK|vahb}}; {{langx|ab|Алықьсандр Золотинска-иԥа Анқәаб|translit=Alyk'sandr Zolotinska-ipa Anq'ab}}; {{lang-ka|ალექსანდრე ზოლოტინსკის ძე ანქვაბი|tr}}; {{langx|ru|Алекса́ндр Золоти́нскович Анква́б}}; born 26 December 1952) is an Abkhaz politician and businessman who was the [[president of Abkhazia]] from 29 May 2011 until his resignation on 1 June 2014. He previously served as prime minister from 2005 to 2010 and as vice-president from 2010 to 2011 during the presidency of [[Sergei Bagapsh]]. He was appointed prime minister again on 23 April 2020.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}

In the [[2004 Abkhazian presidential election]], Ankvab supported Bagapsh's candidacy following his own exclusion by the Central Election Commission;<ref>[http://www.civil.ge/eng/detail.php?id=15400 Abkhaz PM Survives Assassination Attempt] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008123243/http://www.civil.ge/eng/detail.php?id=15400 |date=2007-10-08 }}. Civil Georgia. July 9, 2007.</ref> he was subsequently appointed as prime minister by Bagapsh in February 2005. Ankvab was appointed acting [[president of Abkhazia]] after president Bagapsh underwent an operation on 21 May 2011. Following the operation, Bagapsh died on 29 May 2011 and Ankvab served as acting president<ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[RIA Novosti]]|url=http://www.rian.ru/politics/20110521/377944720.html|script-title=ru:Вице-президент Анкваб станет главой Абхазии на время болезни Багапша|language=ru|date=21 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[RIA Novosti]]|url=http://www.rian.ru/incidents/20110529/381317641.html|script-title=ru:Президент Абхазии Сергей Багапш умер в Москве|language=ru|date=29 May 2011}}</ref> until winning election in his own right later in 2011.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Ankvab survived six attempts on his life from 2005 to 2012, last time as a president on 22 February 2012, when his convoy was ambushed in Abkhazia, killing two of his guards.<ref name="bbc-12">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17124746 Abkhazia Georgia leader Ankvab escapes deadly ambush]. [[BBC News]]. 22 February 2012</ref>

On 27 May 2014, Ankvab's headquarters in [[Sukhumi]] were [[Abkhazian Revolution|stormed by opposition groups]] led by [[Raul Khajimba]], forcing him into flight to [[Gudauta]] in what Ankvab denounced as an "armed coup attempt".<ref>{{cite news|title=Georgia Abkhazia: Leader 'flees' protesters in Sukhumi|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27600919|access-date=28 May 2014|date=28 May 2014|agency=BBC News}}</ref> The Abkhaz parliament declared Ankvab "unable" to exercise his presidential powers on 31 May 2014, and Ankvab resigned the next day.<ref name="civil010614">{{cite news|title=Ankvab Steps Down|url=http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=27296|access-date=1 June 2014|work=Civil Georgia|date=1 June 2014}}</ref>

==Early life and career==

Born in the Abkhazian capital [[Sukhumi]], Ankvab graduated with a degree in law from the [[Rostov State University]] in southern [[Russia]] and worked in the [[Komsomol]], the Justice Ministry of the [[Abkhaz ASSR]], and the Interior Ministry of the [[Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic]] until his resignation in 1990.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}

He was elected to the Abkhazian Supreme Soviet in 1991. He was appointed interior minister of Abkhazia's separatist government during the 1992–1993 conflict with the Georgian central government. Following the Abkhaz victory, he moved to [[Moscow]] in 1994 and became a successful businessman.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}

==2004 presidential election==
{{Main|2004 Abkhazian presidential election}}

Ankvab returned to Abkhazian politics in 2000, setting up the movement [[Aitaira]] ("Revival") in opposition to the government of  president [[Vladislav Ardzinba]]. In 2004 he announced that he would run for president, but was disqualified as ineligible on the grounds that he could not speak [[Abkhaz language|Abkhaz]] (a requirement for public office in the republic) and had lived in Abkhazia for too short a time. Ankvab decided to support Bagapsh instead and was crucial to the latter's electoral success. His appointment as prime minister was widely predicted.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}

==2009 presidential election==
{{Main|2009 Abkhazian presidential election}}

Ankvab was [[Sergei Bagapsh]]'s vice presidential candidate in the [[2009 Abkhazian presidential election|12 December 2009 presidential election]].<ref name="uzel161241">{{cite news|url=http://abkhasia.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/161241/|script-title=ru:Багапш будет баллотироваться в президенты Абхазии в паре с Анквабом|last=Kuchuberia|first=Anzhela|date=2009-10-27|publisher=Caucasian Knot|language=ru|access-date=2009-10-28}}</ref> As required by law, Ankvab was therefore officially suspended from his post on 11 November, his duties to be carried out by First Vice Premier Leonid Lakerbaia.<ref name="apress091112">{{cite news|url=http://www.apsnypress.info/news2009/November/12.htm |script-title=ru:Выпуск №545-546-547-548 |date=2009-11-12 |publisher=[[Apsnypress]] |language=ru |access-date=2009-11-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306165650/http://apsnypress.info/news2009/november/12.htm |archive-date=2016-03-06 }}</ref> Bagapsh and Ankvab won the election, and they were sworn in on 12 February 2010. The following day, Ankvab was succeeded as prime minister by Foreign Minister [[Sergei Shamba]].<ref name="apress100213">{{cite news|url=http://www.apsnypress.info/news2010/February/13.htm |script-title=ru:Выпуск №69–70 |date=13 February 2010 |publisher=[[Apsnypress]] |language=ru |access-date=13 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306120216/http://apsnypress.info/news2010/february/13.htm |archive-date=6 March 2016 }}</ref>

==2011 presidential election==
{{Main|2011 Abkhazian presidential election}}
After Bagapsh's unexpected death after lung surgery, Ankvab became an acting president. He was nominated for presidency by an initiative group for a snap presidential elections held in the region on 26 August 2011. During the election campaign, on 15 August, supporters of Ankvab's opponent Sergei Shamba organised an outdoor screening of a video interview of Moscow-based retired Georgian general [[Tengiz Kitovani]], a Georgian commander during the 1990s war in Abkhazia, in which he claimed that Ankvab had cooperated with the Georgian intelligence service during the conflict. Ankvab accused Shamba of resorting to black PR, while Shamba's campaign team issued a statement calling on the prosecutor's office to investigate Ankvab's war-time activities.<ref>[http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=23866 Race for Abkhaz Leadership]. [[Civil Georgia]]. August 25, 2011.</ref> According to the preliminary results Ankvab garnered up to 55% of votes, defeating Shamba and ex-vice president and opposition candidate Raul Khajimba.<ref>[http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=23885 New Abkhaz Leader]. Civil Georgia. August 27, 2011.</ref>

== Assassination attempts ==
{{main|Assassination attempts on Alexander Ankvab}}
Alexander Ankvab has survived six assassination attempts since becoming prime minister in February 2005: in February and April 2005, in June and July 2007, in September 2010 and most recently in February 2012. The last assassination attempt killed two of Ankvab's security guards,<ref name="bbc-12"/> he himself was injured in the two previous attacks. Only after the February 2012 assassination attempt were arrests made. Former Interior Minister [[Almasbei Kchach]] was one of two suspects who subsequently committed suicide.<ref>[http://en.ria.ru/society/20120417/172881122.html Presidential Assassination Suspect Dead in Abkhazia]. RIA Novost. April 17, 2012.</ref> One man was subsequently indicted and arrested for the July 2007 attack.<ref name=apress6152>{{cite news|title=Эдлар Читанава арестован в связи с причастностью к покушениям на жизнь Президента Абхазии|url=http://apsnypress.info/news/6152.html|access-date=4 May 2012|newspaper=[[Apsnypress]]|date=3 May 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304210950/http://apsnypress.info/news/6152.html|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

== Downfall ==
{{Main|2014 Abkhazian political crisis}}
On 27 May 2014, thousands of protesters, led by [[Raul Khajimba]], rallied against Ankvab in Sukhumi, accusing him of "authoritarian" rule, inappropriate spending of Russian aid funds, and of failure to tackle corruption and economic problems, and demanded his resignation. One of the other issues that sparked the rebellion was Ankvab's relatively liberal citizenship policy (he allowed ethnic Georgians to register as voters and receive Abkhazian passports). Within hours, the protesters stormed the presidential headquarters and forced Ankvab to flee Sukhumi to a Russian military base in [[Gudauta]]. Ankvab denounced the events in Sukhumi as an "armed coup attempt" and refused to resign. The Russian government dispatched [[Vladimir Putin]]'s aide [[Vladislav Surkov]] to mediate between the opposition and Ankvab's government. On 31 May, the Parliament of Abkhazia declared Ankvab "unable" to perform his presidential duties, appointed the parliamentary chairman [[Valery Bganba]] as an interim president and called snap presidential election for 24 August. On 1 June 2014, Ankvab stepped down as president.<ref name="civil010614"/>

{{Commons category|Alexander Ankvab}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Nodar Khashba]] <br>[[Valeri Bganba]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Prime Minister of Abkhazia]]|years=2005–2010<br>2020–}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Sergei Shamba]] <br>Incumbent}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Raul Khadjimba]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Vice President of Abkhazia]]|years=2010–2011}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Mikhail Logua]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Sergei Bagapsh]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[President of Abkhazia]]|years=2011–2014}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Valery Bganba]]<br />{{small|Acting}}}}
{{s-end}}

{{Prime Ministers of Abkhazia}}
{{Current heads of government}}
{{Vice Presidents of Abkhazia}}
{{Heads of State of Abkhazia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ankvab, Alexander}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1st convocation of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia]]
[[Category:Aitaira politicians]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2004 Abkhazian presidential election]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2011 Abkhazian presidential election]]
[[Category:Communist Party of Georgia (Soviet Union) politicians]]
[[Category:Ministers for internal affairs of Abkhazia]]
[[Category:People from Sukhumi]]
[[Category:Presidents of Abkhazia]]
[[Category:Prime ministers of Abkhazia]]
[[Category:Vice presidents of Abkhazia]]
[[Category:Vice-presidential candidates in the 2009 Abkhazian presidential election]]