Former Premier Raul Khadjimba voting on 3 October
12 January 2005 -- Polls have opened in Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia, where voters are casting ballots again for president.
The two leading candidates from an earlier disputed election are now on the same ticket together. Sergei Bagapsh is again running for president, but his former rival, Raul Khadjimba, is now his vice-presidential running mate. Competing against them today is Yakub Lakoba, who garnered 500 votes in the first election.
Abkhazia was thrown into crisis after the 3 October election.
Bagapsh was announced the winner after a recount, but Khadjimba disputed the result.
The incumbent president, Vladislav Ardzinba -- seen as strongly pro-Russian -- refused to acknowledge that Bagapsh won, as did the Kremlin.
The two rivals reached their compromise after Moscow threatened to impose economic sanctions on Abkhazia if Bagapsh did not drop his inauguration plans.
(AFP/ RFE/RL)
[For the latest news on the election situation in Abkhazia, see RFE/RL's webpage on Abkhazia.]
Abkhazia was thrown into crisis after the 3 October election.
Bagapsh was announced the winner after a recount, but Khadjimba disputed the result.
The incumbent president, Vladislav Ardzinba -- seen as strongly pro-Russian -- refused to acknowledge that Bagapsh won, as did the Kremlin.
The two rivals reached their compromise after Moscow threatened to impose economic sanctions on Abkhazia if Bagapsh did not drop his inauguration plans.
(AFP/ RFE/RL)
[For the latest news on the election situation in Abkhazia, see RFE/RL's webpage on Abkhazia.]