Georgia says legislative elections held by Russia-backed separatists who control the breakaway Abkhazia region were illegal.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry condemned the March 12 voting in the Black Sea region as "yet another attempt to legitimize the ethnic purge, military intervention, occupation, and results of Russian aggression being carried out against Georgian statehood."
"Under international law, any so-called elections or referendum held in occupied territories are illegal and will have no legal result," the ministry said.
Abkhazia broke from central government control in a 1992-93 war. Russia recognized it as an independent country after Moscow fought a five-day war against Tbilisi in 2008, and has thousands of troops there.
The vast majority of nations consider Abkhazia part of Georgia, and do not recognize elections there..
Election officials said 137 candidates from four political parties took part in the vote to fill the 35-seat People’s Assembly.
They said turnout exceeded 50 percent.
Preliminary results are expected on March 13.
