Vakhtang Kolbaia

A native of Abkhazia, Kolbaia graduated from the Moscow Technological Institute of Food Industry with a degree in economics.

He served his tenure during the secessionist war in Abkhazia which forced the pro-Georgian faction of the Abkhazian government and legislature into internal displacement in Tbilisi in 1993.

There, Kolbaia was the First Deputy Chairman of the Government of Abkhazia and head of the Gali district administration from 1993 to 1995.

In 2008, he became secretary-general of the opposition Democratic Movement – United Georgia party chaired by Nino Burjanadze.

[1][2] On 8 April 2013, he was elected the acting Chairman of Government (-in-exile) of Abkhazia after his predecessor, Giorgi Baramia, filed resignation.