Incumbent Khajimba wins so-called presidential run-off in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia
Raul Khajimba is the fourth so-called president of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region, in the west of the country. Photo: Ria Novosti.
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De facto incumbent President of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region Raul Khajimba has won the so-called presidential run-off, receiving 47.38 per cent of the vote, held in the region yesterday.
Khajimba’s headquarters earlier reported that the incumbent president received 49.3 per cent of the vote after 80,800 of 81,100 ballots had been counted. He is nearly 1.5 percentage points ahead of leader of the opposition party Amtsakhara, Alkhas Kvitsinia,” Russian media TASS cited Khajimba’s press office as saying.
In the first round of the so-called elections held on August 25, 2019 Khajimba received 24.83 per cent of the vote, Kvitsinia – 22.91 per cent and former so-called deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Arshba – 22.56 per cent.
- 15 countries release joint statement condemning ‘presidential elections’ in Russia-occupied Abkhazia
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said that the so-called election run-off 'has no legitimacy and it was an another attempt to legalise ethnic cleansing.'
During the so-called runoff election, the voter turnout needed to be at least 25 per cent for the elections to be considered valid, with the winner elected by a simple majority of votes.
152 polling stations were opened for the so-called elections, where up to 83,000 people voted.
The war in Abkhazia claimed many lives. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Khajimba, 61, was first elected to the role after the forceful resignation of de facto president Aleksand Ankvab in May 2014.
He headed an opposition party - Forum for the National Unity of Abkhazia - between 2010 and 2015.
Earlier Khajimba served as de facto vice-president (2005–2009), de facto PM (2003–2004) and de facto foreign minister (2002–2003).
He was unsuccessful in bids to become de facto president in 2004, 2009 and 2011.
- The war in Abkhazia took place between 1991 and 1992, which was fought between Georgian government and Abkhaz separatists. Russian armed forces and North Caucasian militants were also involved. The Abkhaz separatists, who were “fighting for independence from Georgia,” were supported by North Caucasus and Cossack militants and from Russian forces which were at that time stationed in and near Abkhazia.
- Between 13,000 and 20,000 ethnic Georgians and about 3,000 Abkhaz were reported killed, with more than 250,000 Georgians becoming internally displaced persons or refugees.
Abkhazia and one other occupied region of Tskhinvali have been recognised as independent states only by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria since the Russia-Georgia war in 2008.
The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry said today’s second round of so-called presidential elections in the Russian occupied region of Abkhazia is “illegal” and “illegitimate”. Opposition leader Alkhas Kvitsinia is running against incumbent “president” Raul Khajimba in the second round of elections.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili says that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has offered to create a joint strategy with Georgia on how to combat Russian occupation and help both countries become members of the EU.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili condemned the so-called 'presidential elections' in the Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia in a statement on Monday, stating the Georgian government was joined by its international partners in not accepting the vote.
Fifteen states have released a joint statement condemning the ‘presidential elections’ Georgia’s Russia-occupied Abkhazia region held yesterday. The countries have called on Russia to withdraw its recognition of the ‘independence’ of Russia-occupied Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions of Georgia. Poland was the initiator of the statement the 15 states have released today.
Demonstrators demanding the annulment of the results of the de facto presidential elections in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region and the resignation of the current, de facto President Raul Khajimba have broken into the so-called presidential administration building in Sokhumi earlier today.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili announced today that she is paying close attention to the developments in the Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia. State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili spoke of the situation in Sokhumi as well.
De facto parliament in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region has adopted a resolution, urging de facto President Raul Khajimba to resign amid public protests. 19 so-called MPs supported the resolution, four went against, while one refused to vote, Russian media outlets report. Khajimba is ready to negotiate with the opposition, refusing to resign, RIA Novosti reports.
Russian Foreign Ministry has responded to the current tension in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia region and urged the de facto government and the opposition to negotiate for peace.