Abkhaz leader, Alexander Ankvab, has vetoed breakaway region’s 2013 budget and sent it back to the legislative body, which passed the budget late last month.

Ankvab said on January 8 that he decided to send the bill back to the Parliament as he disagreed with lawmakers’ decision to amend the original draft which was proposed by the government, Abkhaz news agency Apnsipress reported on Wednesday.

Disagreement in particular involves spending of 840 million rubles (about USD 27.6 million), which the breakaway region is set to receive in aid from Russia as part of 2009 agreement.

The original draft, submitted by the Abkhaz government to the Parliament was not providing a breakdown on planned spending of this Russian financial aid; lawmakers introduced amendment, which envisages dividing this aid equally for each of the breakaway region’s territorial-administrative unit.

“We have not submitted such a proposal to the Parliament. Our proposal was different. For that reason I have not signed it into law and returned it to the Parliament,” Ankvab said.

He also said that at this stage it was not possible to make a breakdown of 840 million rubles per each territorial-administrative unit. Ankvab said that Abkhaz-Russian inter-governmental commission would meet later in January to define planned spending of these aid funds. 

The breakaway region’s 35-member Parliament, elected in March 2012 , will now have to either take into consideration Ankvab’s objection or try to overcome the veto requiring two-third majority.