After the Republic of Abkhazia was recognized by the Russian Federation in 2008, the economic blockade was also lifted. The borders and resorts of this country were reopened for tourists from Russia. Every year the number of those who want to come to rest in this fertile land is increasing. Therefore, many are interested in what currency is in use in the Republic, and whether it is possible to exchange Russian rubles for it there.
Instructions
Step 1
Those who travel to Abkhazia will not have to change money - the official currency of this country is the Russian ruble, although there is also a local monetary unit - the Abkhaz apsar. It was put into effect by the law of the Republic of April 22, 2008. and initially had the status only as a commemorative coin that does not have quotes and is not used in payments for goods and services. The rate of apsara to the ruble, set by the Bank of Abkhazia, is 1 to 10, but the real value of these commemorative coins does not correspond to the face value and is determined only by the demand from collectors and numismatists. Therefore, although gold and silver apsaras are a means of payment, they are not used in calculations, since their actual cost is about 23,000 and 4,500 thousand rubles.
Step 2
The status of the Russian ruble as a currency circulating on the territory of the Republic is enshrined in Art. 16 "Treaty of friendship and mutual assistance with the Russian Federation." According to this international agreement, Russia undertakes to provide assistance in the formation of the banking system of Abkhazia, therefore the National Bank of the Republic is included in the BIK directory as a participant in settlements that make payments through the banking settlement network of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
Step 3
For this reason, Russian tourists in Abkhazia do not experience any inconveniences associated with currency conversion. The prices for industrial and food products in stores are comparable to those in Russia, and only in the markets is it possible to buy locally produced products cheaper. This is especially true of fruits grown in this country: lemons, oranges, tangerines, feijoa, persimmons, medlar, as well as spices.
Step 4
The only inconvenience for Russians is the lack of an extensive ATM network. You will not be able to easily withdraw money from plastic cards of Russian banks. Several ATMs are located in the branches of commercial banks in Gagra - "Gagra-Bank" and Sukhum: "Garant-Bank", "Kibit-Bank", "Sukhum-Bank", "Universal-Bank" and "Black Sea Development Bank". But, even having visited the central offices of these banks, you may not be able to withdraw money due to their absence from ATMs. Therefore, you should immediately stock up on the required amount before the trip, or periodically travel to the suburb of Sochi, Adler, to withdraw money on the territory of Russia. In cases where cash is available at ATMs, the maximum amount that can be withdrawn from the card at a time is 3 thousand rubles.
