De facto ‘presidential elections’ in Abkhazia scheduled for March 22
Demonstrators demanded the annulment of the results of the de facto presidential elections in Russian-occupied Abkhazia and the resignation of incumbent “President” Raul Khajimba earlier this week. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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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.
The decision was made following a recent court ruling which announced the previous “presidential elections” held in the occupied region on September 8, 2019 illegitimate and ruled to call for repeat “elections”.
Demonstrators demanded the annulment of the results of the de facto presidential elections in Abkhazia and the resignation of incumbent “President” Raul Khajimba earlier this week.
In the second round of the presidential elections held last September Khajimba received 47.39 per cent of the vote, while opposition "presidential candidate" Alkhas Kvitsinia received 46.17 per cent. Photo: Valery Matytsin/TASS
Meanwhile, Khajimba's "press office" said the decision to hold repeat elections was based on an illegal court verdict made amid protest rallies.
Responding to Sokhumi tensions, State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia Ketevan Tsikhelashvili said yesterday that the situation in occupied Abkhazia cannot be considered as legitimate overall.
However, she said the developments are noteworthy in terms of public safety and the human rights situation in the region.
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 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.
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 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.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry condemns the ongoing “presidential elections” in the Russia-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia as “illegal”. The Foreign Ministry said these "elections" fully contradict the fundamental norms and principles of international law and blatantly violate Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The international community does not recognise the so-called “parliamentary elections” in the Russia-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia. Earlier today, the Georgian Foreign Ministry condemned the Abkhaz “presidential elections” as “illegal”.
The European Union does not recognise the ‘presidential elections’ in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Abkhazia. The EU says that it will continue its policy of non-recognition and engagement in this regard.
Fifteen countries have reacted to the ‘presidential elections’ in Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Abkhazia and said they ‘do not recognise the legitimacy’ of the so-called ‘presidential elections’.