Abkhazian presidential election, 2005

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Presidential elections were held in the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia on 12 January 2005.

Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government in control of a state. Recognition can be reaccorded either de facto or de jure. Recognition can be a declaration to that effect by the recognizing government, or an act of recognition such as entering into a treaty with the other state. A vote by a country in the United Nations in favour of the membership of another country is an implicit recognition of that country by the country so voting, as only states may be members of the UN.

Contents

Background

A Presidential election had been held in Abkhazia on 3 October, but had resulted in a prolonged conflict over the results between the two main contenders, Raul Khadjimba, who had been Prime Minister and who was backed by the seriously ailing outgoing President Vladislav Ardzinba and by Russia, and Sergei Bagapsh, the main opposition candidate who had received a narrow majority of the votes. On 5 December 2004 Bagapsh and Khadjimba agreed to hold new elections. In these elections they would run on a joint ticket, with Khadjimba as vice presidential candidate.

Vladislav Ardzinba President of Abkhazia

Vladislav Ardzinba was the first de facto President of Abkhazia. A historian by education, Ardzinba led Abkhazia to de facto independence in the 1992–1993 War with Georgia, but its de jure independence from Georgia remained internationally unrecognised during Ardzinba's two terms as President from 1994 to 2005.

Sergei Bagapsh Abkhazian politician

Sergei Uasyl-ipa Bagapsh was the second President of the Republic of Abkhazia. He was Prime Minister from 1997 to 1999 and was later elected as President in 2005. He was re-elected in the 2009 presidential election. He died on 29 May 2011, at the age of 62, from complications of surgery.

Election campaign

On 17 December, Sergei Bagapsh was officially nominated by an initiative group. [1] On 21 December, Bagapsh and Khajimba created a joint coordinating council to run their election campaign, consisting of five representatives each: Nugzar Agrba, Valeri Kvarchia, Vakhtang Pipia, Daur Tarba, Alik Logua, Roman Gvinjia, Raul Khonelia, Beslan Kobakhia, Vasili Avidzba and Timur Nadaria, cochaired by Agrba for Bagapsh and Kvarchia for Khajimba. [2]

Vakhtang Pipia is the current Chairman of the State Committee for State Property and Privatisation of Abkhazia in the Government of President Khajimba, and a former Vice Premier.

Daur Tarba Abkhazian politician

Daur Tarba is the current Minister for Agriculture of Abkhazia. In the past, he has also been Chairman of United Abkhazia at a time when it was the ruling party, Vice Premier and head of the Ochamchira district.

In the early morning of 23 December an explosion occurred in the centre of Sukhumi, causing no casualties. Later that day, Iakub Lakoba, who had come fifth and last in the first election, was nominated by an initiative group. [3]

Sukhumi City in Abkhazia, Georgia

Sukhumi or Sokhumi is a city on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of the breakaway Republic of Abkhazia which has controlled it since the 1992-93 war in Abkhazia, although most of the international community considers it legally part of Georgia.

Iakub Uasyl-Ipa Lakoba is an opposition politician and former Presidential candidate in the internationally unrecognised Republic of Abkhazia.

Bagapsh and Lakoba were officially registered as candidates by the Central Election Commission on 28 December. [4]

Results

Bagapsh and Khajimba garnered 91.54% of the vote, making a second round unnecessary.

e  •  d  Summary of the 12 January 2005 Abkhazian presidential election results
Presidential candidateVice presidential candidateVotes%
Sergei Bagapsh Raul Khadjimba 69,32891.54
Iakub Lakoba Stella Gunia 3,5494.69
Against all1,9882.63
Invalid8681.15
Total number of votes cast75,733100.00
Turnout75,73358.65
Abstention53,39441.35
Total number of registered voters129,127100.00
Source: Протокол N 7 Центральной избирательной комиссии по выборам Президента Республики Абхазия от 14 января 2005 г.

Post-election developments

On 2 June 2005, United Abkhazia suspended the membership of Sergei Bagapsh, as required by the Abkhazian constitution since he had become President. [5]

United Abkhazia political party

United Abkhazia is a political party in Abkhazia. United Abkhazia was founded on March 25, 2004 as a socio-political movement, with the specific goal of presenting a single opposition candidate for the October 2004 presidential elections.

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Raul Jumkovich Khajimba is the current President of Abkhazia, having been elected in 2014 after the May Revolution. He was also Chairman of the Forum for the National Unity of Abkhazia from 2010–2015. Khajimba previously held the offices of Vice President (2005–2009), Prime Minister (2003–2004) and Defence Minister (2002–2003). He unsuccessfully ran for President in 2004, 2009 and 2011.

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References

  1. ↑ "ОБЗОР АПСНЫПРЕСС ЗА 17.12.2004". Apsnypress. 17 December 2004. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "ОБЗОР АПСНЫПРЕСС ЗА 21.12.2004". Apsnypress. 21 December 2004. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "ОБЗОР АПСНЫПРЕСС ЗА 23.12.2004". Apsnypress. 23 December 2004. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "ОБЗОР АПСНЫПРЕСС ЗА 28.12.2004". Apsnypress. 28 December 2004. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "Общественно-политическое движение "Единая Абхазия" будет преобразовано в партию". Caucasian Knot. 2 June 2005. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
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