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.