Bagapsh: Vice-President to Lead Power Structures and Foreign Policy

Abkhaz presidential candidate Sergey Bagapsh said on December 8 that the new Vice-President?s powers will significantly increase, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.  

He said that the Vice-President will be in charge of power structures and foreign policy.

?Naturally, the President will remain the Commander-in-Chief, who will also define the republic?s foreign policy. However, the Vice-President will be in charge of all activities in this direction,? Interfax quotes Sergey Bagapsh as saying.

According to the Abkhaz constitution, the Vice-President is elected together with the President. During repeat elections, scheduled in the breakaway region before January 13, Bagapsh will run for President while his former rival, pro-governmental candidate Raul Khajimba will run for Vice-President.

Currently, the Abkhaz Vice-President is only in charge of carrying out particular tasks of the President.