It may also become a bit less poor as a result of Mr Abashidze's departure.

ECONOMIST: The comic opera ends | The

Under Aslan Abashidze, Mr Varshalomidze's predecessor as Ajaria's boss, the crossing often took an hour and several bribes.

ECONOMIST: Ajaria, a Georgian success story

Its leader, Aslan Abashidze, runs an odd and throughly autocratic mini-state, Ajaria, on the Black Sea border with Turkey.

ECONOMIST: Ukraine and Georgia