Ardzinba Refuses to Step Down
The press office of the outgoing President of unrecognized Abkhazian Republic Vladislav Ardzinba issued a press statement on December 3 describing the inauguration of opposition leader Sergey Bagapsh, scheduled for December 6, as ?illegal.?
The statement reiterates that Ardzinba will not step down after December 6.
?Under the current conditions the Cabinet of the Republic of Abkhazia has no legal ground to organize a solemn ceremony for inaugurating Sergey Bagapsh as the newly elected President. Nor can the presidential credentials be delivered to him,? RIA Novosti news agency quotes the statement.
The statement stresses that the ministries and state departments of breakaway Abkhazia are still under the subordination to the current President until the holding of repeat presidential elections occur.
