President Zurabishvili paying ‘close attention’ to developments in occupied Abkhazia
Demonstrators broke into the so-called presidential administration building in Sokhumi earlier today demanding the resignation of the current de facto President Raul Khajimba. Photo: Anald Gogoryan/Radio Liberty
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President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili announced today that she is paying close attention to the developments in the Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia.
I am paying close attention to the events in Sokhumi and to the safety, fate and human rights of our citizens in occupied Abkhazia.
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) January 9, 2020
Georgian State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili spoke of the situation in Sokhumi as well.
Our key priority is to ensure that every development remains peaceful [in Sokhumi] and population faces no security threat [there]”, Tsikhelashvili stated.
Demonstrators demanding the annulment of the results of the de facto presidential elections in Abkhazia and the resignation of the current de facto President Raul Khajimba broke into the so-called presidential administration building in Sokhumi earlier today.
In the second round of the presidential election held on September 8, 2019 incumbent Raul Khajimba received 47.39 per cent of the vote, while opposition ‘presidential candidate’ Alkhas Kvitsinia received 46.17 per cent. Photo: Valery Matytsin/TASS
Kvitsinia now claims the results are invalid given that per the ‘constitution’, only a candidate that receives 50 per cent of votes + 1 can be considered the victor.
Meanwhile, refusing to resign Khajimba stated that everything is under control in Sokhumi and a state of emergency might be declared in case of necessity.
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.
The de facto leadership of Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Abkhazia announced today that the closure of the so-called border between the region and the rest of the country has been abolished.
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. In the first round of the so-called elections held on August 25, 2019 Khajimba received 24.83 per cent of the vote.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered his own explanation of how Georgia “engulfed” the currently Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions.
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.
The de facto Ministry of Abkhazia has stopped working ‘until the situation changes’ in the Russian-controlled region, as demonstrators are holding rallies, demanding the resignation of de facto President Raul Khajimba. De facto Finance Minister Jansug Nanba has stated earlier today that due to the rallies and the occupation of the administration building of the de facto authorities by demonstrators ‘we were forced to allow our female employees to go home, for their safety.”
State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia Ketevan Tsikhelashvili said the safety of the population in the Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia is the key priority amid current tension there.
The de facto Supreme Court of the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia announced yesterday that the so-called presidential elections in the region on September 8, 2019 were illegitimate and ruled to call for repeat “elections”.
De facto presidential elections in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia will be held on March 22, local media reported based on information released by the region’s “Central Election Commission” today.
De facto Vice President of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region Aslan Bartsitsi says that Raul Khajimba, who resigned as de facto president of Abkhazia yesterday, will not participate in ‘snap elections’ scheduled in the region on March 22.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has stated at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that the next stage for Georgia is to become a full member of the international community by having a voice in global issues. She stated earlier today in Strasbourg that “Georgia has succeeded to turn itself from a post-soviet state, into an emerging, ever stronger and vibrant democracy.” She stated earlier today in Strasbourg that “Georgia has succeeded to turn itself from a post-soviet state, into an emerging, ever stronger and vibrant democracy.”
Aslan Bzhania has been sworn in as the fifth de-facto leader of Russian-occupied Abkhazia for a five-year term on April 23.
The newly elected de facto President of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region Aslan Bzhania claims that products worth billions of rubles illegally enter Tbilisi-controlled territory from the region.