Attempt to Defuse Tension in Abkhazia Fails

The information agency Regnum quoted the head of Abkhazia’s presidential administration Roin Agrba as saying that an attempt to defuse post-election tensions in Abkhazia have “practically failed.”

Incumbent President of Abkhazia Vladislav Ardzinba held a two-hour meeting with presidential candidates Raul Khajimba and Sergey Bagapsh, both of whom claim victory in the October 3 presidential elections. According to Agrba, Ardzinba proposed a runoff election between the two candidates who garnered a majority of the votes between them. However, the opposition, who supports Bagapsh, refused, agreeing only to a re-vote in the contested Gali district of Abkhazia.

Tensions in Abkhazia flared up after it became clear that the Ardzinba-backed Khajimba failed to win the elections. Khajimba alleges gross violations in Gali district, however observers that no appeals were filed by the observers from Khajimba’s electoral crew during the voting in this district on October 3.

The Abkhazia elections are not recognized by the Georgian authorities. The OSCE Chairman-in-Office also condemned the vote as “illegitimate.”