Unrecognized republic of Abkhazia elects president

Pravda
10/04/2004 16:28

Abkhazia determined to cease relations with Georgia and to cooperate
with Russia

The election of the Abkhazian president is considered
successful. According to the information from the electoral committee
of the unrecognized republic, the turnout exceeded the level of 50
percent and 70 percent in certain areas of the republic.

Abkhazian Prime Minister Raul Khajimba, the director of the
state-owned company Chernomorenegro, Sergey Bagapsh, former foreign
affairs minister Sergey Shamba, former prime minister Anri Jergenia
and People’s Party leader Yakub Lakoba are running for the president
of the unrecognized republic of Abkhazia.

For the time being there is no official information about preliminary
results of the voting. The data is said to be released in several
hours. The election took place in 35 electoral districts, at 180
polls. A small quantity of inconsiderable violations was registered in
the voting, but they did not show any influence on the result of the
presidential election, a spokesman for the electoral committee said.

International observers were not present at the polls, as Abkhazia is
a self-proclaimed republic. The small country on the coast of the
Black Sea is considered to be Russia Russia’s ally, although the
international communitydoes not recognize the republic. Observers from
South Ossetia, Nagorny Karabakh and Transdniestr observed the
election.

The authorities of the former Soviet republic of Georgia announced
that the presidential election in Abkhazia was illegitimate. Georgian
officials were especially perturbed with the fact that several Russian
top officials had visited Abkhazia on the threshold of the elections:
the Russian deputy prosecutor general Vladimir Kolesnikov and the
well-known singer and businessman Joseph Kobzon. These two public
personas were not on the territory of Abkhazia on the election day,
although the Georgian officials think that it was Moscow’s token of
support towards Abkhazian separatists.

One of the central nominees in the election, Abkhazian Prime Minister
Raul Khajimba, strongly emphasized the aspect of cooperation with
Russia in his pre-election campaign. Khajimba told reporters at his
poll in Abkhazia’s capital Sukhumi that he would continue striving for
the complete rupture of relations with Georgia and for the
international recognition of Abkhazia. Khajimbaalso pointed out
priorities of his politics. According to the presidential nominee,
close links with Russia would be the key aspect of Abkhazia’s
politics. “We’ve had enough of being friends with Georgia,” Khajimba
said. “Abkhazia will strive for the international recognition as any
other country,” said he.

The situation in the republic on the election day was quiet, contrary
to apprehensions. There were a lot of people standing outside each
poll, but there were no negative occurrences registered. Only three
police officers were seen on poll N2 in Sukhumi, where three of the
candidacies decided to vote.

The situation was quiet even in the most problematic district of the
republic, which is presumably populated by Georgians – about 60,000
people stayed to live there after the war between Georgia and Abkhazia
in 1992-1993.

Incumbent President of the unrecognized republic of Abkhazia,
Vladislav Ardzinba, does not participate in the election, although he
has been holding the post since 1994. According to the republic’s
constitution, Ardzinba had no right to run for the third term. More
importantly, the president has been having health problems lately,
which made him pass the authorities to the prime minister. In
addition, the latest election in the republic was the first election
held on an alternative basis.