Russian Reports: Abkhaz Elections Valid

Russian news agencies reported that 53% of the voters cast a ballot during the January 12 Abkhaz presidential election, thus validating the elections. Russian news agencies are citing unnamed sources in the Abkhaz Central Election Commission (CEC).

According to the Abkhaz election code, at least half of the registered voters must vote to consider elections as valid.

But no official statement was made regarding the voter turnout by the Abkhaz Central Election Commission (CEC) after the polling stations closed in Abkhazia. The CEC Chairman announced in the afternoon on Wednesday that voter turnout had reached 40% at 4 pm local time.

According to the Russian news agencies, the earliest results of the elections will be announced on the morning of January 13.

Along with frontrunner presidential candidate Sergey Bagapsh, leader of the People?s Party of Abkhazia Iakub Lakoba is also running for the presidency, though few analysts feel the latter has a real chance of victory. In the event of a Bagapsh win, his former rival Raul Khajimba will take over the Vice-Presidential position and will be in charge of defense and security, as well as foreign policy issues.