Abkhaz President-Elect Nominates PM
Abkhaz President-elect Sergey Bagapsh, who, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC), garnered more than 90% of votes cast in January 12 elections, said that he will nominate Aleksander Ankvab as the Prime Minister of Abkhazia, Interfax news agency reported.
Sergey Bagapsh also said that the new government of Abkhazia will be composed of ?professionals.?
?I am going to form a cabinet of national unity,? he added.
Influential political figure Aleksander Ankvab, who was formerly the Interior Minister of the breakaway Abkhazia, is a close ally of Sergey Bagapsh and the leader of political party Aitaira.
Ankvab intended to run for presidency in last year?s elections; however, after he was denied in registration by the CEC, Ankvab supported Sergey Bagapsh. Ankvab is widely known to be an outspoken critic of outgoing Abkhaz President Vladislav Ardzinba and his close circle.
In an interview to the Regnum news agency on January 13, Aleksander Ankvab said that Aitaira will continue its activities and will be stengthened further.
?The creation of a huge political party is on the agenda? This party should unite those many different political-public movements that currently exist in Abkhazia,? Ankvab said.
Currently, Prime Minister?s position in the unrecognized republic is occupied by Nodar Khashba. Khashba, formerly a high-ranking official of the Russian Ministry for Emergencies was, according to his own statement, sent to Abkhazia by the Russian President Vladimir Putin to stabilize the situation the heated October 3, 2004 elections.
