Sokhumi Says Elections Valid

Officials in breakaway Abkhazia said the February 11 local elections were held ?in a stable situation? with a high voter turnout, and can be recognized as valid.

There are conflicting reports about voter turnout in the Georgian-populated Gali District of the breakaway region. Abkhaz sources say turnout was over 50% in the Gali District, while Georgian media sources reported on February 12 that elections in the Gali District were thwarted because of a boycott by the local Georgian population.

Georgian sources have also reported that Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh, who visited the Gali District on February 11, sacked a number of local officials because of his discontent about developments in Gali on election day. There are no reports on this yet from Abkhaz sources.

The Central Election Commission of the unrecognized republic is expected to release the election results within three days.

268 candidates were contesting for 169 seats in the local councils. The President of the breakaway region will appoint the heads of towns and districts from members of the newly elected local councils.

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