Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh appointed a long-time foreign minister of the breakaway region, Sergey Shamba, on the post of Prime Minister on February 13, the Abkhaz news agency, Apsnipress, reported.

“He is an experienced politician, who has been in the center of political developments in Abkhazia since 1970s,” Bagapsh said. “Now he will have to deal with the issues of social-economic development of the country.”

Shamba held the post of foreign minister since 1997. He was deputy defense minister during the armed conflict in 1992-93.

Maxim Gvinjia, deputy foreign minister of the breakaway region, is reportedly slated to replace Shamba. Gvinjia is one of the Abkhaz negotiators participating in the Geneva talks.

Alexander Ankvab, a former prime minister of the breakaway region, was Bagapsh running mate for the vice presidential post.