Tbilisi Tries to Attain Abkhaz Bank System

  Suspicion lingers over whether or not Russia is complying with a request made by the Georgian authorities regarding Abkhaz bank accounts. Upon taking over the office of Georgian National Bank (NBG) president in April, one of Roman Gotsiridze's first actions was to demand that the Russian and Kyrgyz central banks block correspondent accounts of the banks in breakaway Abkhazia.

Roman Gotsiridze says that an “uncontrolled and illegal” banking regime in Abkhazia, in which Russian banks are also participating, creates fertile ground for money laundering.