Abkhaz Opposition Questions Validity of Parliamentary Polls

Opposition candidates plan to contest the results of the March 4 parliamentary elections and the March 18 run-off vote in breakaway Abkhazia in the region’s Supreme Court, Apsnypress news agency reported on March 23.

?The elections have revealed major intentional violations of the election legislation by the authoritie. This calls into doubt the impartiality and fairness of the elections,? the appeal issued by the opposition candidates reads.

?Thousands of cases? of double voting and a significant increase in the number of voters, as well as inaccuracies in voter lists, were named by the opposition as typical of the process.

The parliamentary elections were held based on the majoritarian system in 35 single-mandate constituencies. Candidates supporting Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh gained 28 seats in the newly elected Abkhaz Parliament, while the remaining seats were won by the opposition. 

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