Bagapsh Offers Repeat Elections in Gali

Frontrunner Abkhaz opposition presidential candidate Sergey Bagapsh said, while addressing his supporters in Sokhumi, that he agrees to hold repeat elections in the Gali District, following allegations by his opponent Raul Khajimba that elections in the Gali District were rigged in favor of Bagapsh.

?I say lets hold repeat elections only in the Gali District with the participation of all five presidential candidates,? Bagapsh said.

The Central Election Commission of the unrecognized Abkhaz Republic announced late on October 5 that it has counted votes cast in all elections districts except Gali. According to this data, opposition candidate Sergey Bagapsh garnered 45.7% of votes while Raul Khajimba, whose candidacy is backed by both outgoing Abkhaz leader Vladislav Ardzinba and the Kremlin, received 38.4% of the total votes.

The Abkhaz Central Election Commission is expected to gather on October 6 and decide whether to annul the election results in Gali or not. If the results in Gali are canceled, a run-off will be required. But if the CEC decides to accept the results of elections in Gali, Bagapsh is most likely to win the polls and become the region?s new leader.