Unofficial Reports: Abkhaz Elections Valid

Russian news agencies reported, after the polling station in Georgia?s breakaway Abkhazia closed, that the January 12 presidential election in the unrecognized republic is valid, as 53% of the registered voters cast ballots. However, no official confirmation of this report has been made by the Abkhaz Central Election Commission (CEC).

Russian news agencies are citing unnamed sources in the Abkhaz Central Election Commission (CEC). According to the Abkhaz election code, at least half of the registered voters must vote to consider elections as valid.

CEC Chairman Batal Tabagua announced in the afternoon on Wednesday that voter turnout reached 40% at 4 pm local time. But no statements from CEC officials were made after the polling stations were closed in Abkhazia.

According to the Russian news agencies, the earliest results of the elections will be announced in the morning of January 13.  But there are little doubts that if the elections are considered as valid, frontrunner presidential candidate Sergey Bagapsh will win a landslide victory.

Bagapsh?s only contender, leader of the People?s Party of Abkhazia Iakub Lakoba received only about 500 votes in the presidential elections held on October 3, 2004.

The January 12 elections were repeat polls of the highly disputed October 3 elections. The first-ever contested presidential election in Abkhazia, which occurred last year, was followed by a post-election dispute between the two main presidential rivals ? opposition leader Sergey Bagapsh and pro-governmental candidate Raul Khajimba, who also enjoyed Moscow?s support.  As a result, Abkhazia was hit by two months of political crisis.
 
Following the showdown between Khajimba and Bagapsh the two sides were forced into a compromise by Russia. In December the once former presidential rivals, Bagapsh and Khajimba, agreed to share power and participate in new elections on one team.

In the event of a Bagapsh win, his former rival Raul Khajimba will take over the Vice-Presidential position and will be in charge of defense and security, as well as foreign policy issues.

Abkhaz officials, as well as election observers from Russia, said that the elections were held in ?normal conditions;? however they did admit that certain problems persisted in the Georgian-populated Gali district of Abkhazia.

Vice-Speaker of the Russian Parliament Sergey Baburin, who observed the presidential elections in Abkhazia, said at a news conference on January 12 that numerous violations were observed in the Gali district, which is predominately populated by ethnic Georgians who spontaneously returned to there after 1992-93 armed conflict.

However, he added that ?there are all precondition to announce the presidential elections as valid.?

According to the Russian news agencies, Sergey Baburin, who personally observed the elections in the Gali district, confirmed that units of the Abkhaz governmental guard, which is under the direct control of outgoing Abkhaz President Vladislav Ardzinba, blocked several polling stations and prevented voters from casting their ballots.

The Russian Vice-Speaker also said that the outgoing President or Prime Minister Nodar Khashba should explain why this incident took place. However, the latter downplayed this incident.

?According to some reports there were some problems there [in Gali district], as if some voters were prevented from entering polling stations. But this information is not confirmed. Representatives of the Central Election Commission also say that the elections are being held in normal conditions,? Nodar Khashba said, according to the Russian NTV television.

Officials in Tbilisi condemn the Abkhaz elections as illegitimate. The Georgian side also protested against Moscow?s active involvement in the Abkhaz elections.

Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania expressed protest on January 12 regarding Russia?s active involvement in the presidential polls in breakaway Abkhazia and instructed the Georgian Foreign Ministry to issue an ?adequate? statement.

Zurab Zhvania said, while addressing a session of the government, that the ?disgraceful activities of Russian politicians on the territory of Abkhazia are becoming alarming.?