So-called elections to be held in Occupied Abkhazia on March 22
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, January 13
According to Occupied Abkhazia’s so-called Central Elections Commission, De-facto Presidential elections will be held on March 22. The Chairman of the so-called commission Tamaz Gogia states that the decision was made in total unanimity and both new and old candidates will be able to run for 'president' in March elections.
On January 6, opposition members called on their supporters to gather at the Sokhumi Central Square on December 9 near the de facto Supreme Court building.
"Citizens of Abkhazia, the time has come to defend our homeland. The country, which was seized by the blood of patriots as a result of the criminal activities of the current authorities has become a poorly managed territory," the United Abkhaz Party stated.
Judge Temur Tarba annulled elections results on January 10. Accordingly, Raul Khajimba is no longer the de facto president-elect from the September 20, 2019, elections. The ruling was based on a lawsuit filed by local opposition member and former de facto presidential candidate Alkha Kvitsinia. According to Echo Kavkaza, neither the de facto president nor the representative of the de facto electoral body attended the court hearing.
The court ordered the election commission to set the date for the new presidential election. After the annulment was announced by the so-called Supreme Court of Abkhazia, Raul Khajimba’s website published a statement that reads he is planning on appealing to ‘Supreme Court.’ According to the so-called President’s press release, this decision might aggravate intense socio-political environment in Abkhazia:
“The decision was made with the background of the raids on government buildings, intrusion into the President's administration and the siege on the court building. In parallel with these events, the court was not able to reach an objective decision. We will appeal it to the Presidium of the Supreme Court.”
Abkhazia’s so-called opposition leader Aslan Bzhania calls on Khajimba to compromise to prevent worsening the situation in the ‘country.’ At the meeting with Khajimba on January 10, he stated that he demanded his immediate resignation from the presidency. According to “Ria Novosti” Khajimba-Bzhania's meeting was held at the statehouse simultaneously to the protest outside the building where opposition leader Bzhania’s supporters were waiting.
“We have expressed our positions and demanded him to resign from the presidency. Khajimba has promised to respond.”
On January 9, protest rallies against occupied Abkhazia’s so-called President Raul Khajimba started, demanding his immediate resignation from ‘presidency.’
According to the Russian State Media, De-facto President of Occupied Abkhazia Raul Khajimba has resigned. De-facto Vice-president Aslan Bartsiev says that Khajimba has signed the resignation document to prevent protest’s fatal consequences in Abkhazia. According to him, the so-called substitute president will allegedly be so-called Prime Minister.
