- Title: GEORGIA-ABKHAZIA/ELECTION Abkhazia votes in presidential election
- Date: 24th August 2014
- Summary: SUKHUMI, ABKHAZIA, GEORGIA (AUGUST 24, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF POLLING CENTRE INTERIOR OF POLLING CENTRE WITH INFORMATION ON BOARDS ELECTION OFFICIALS SEATED AT TABLE CLOSE OF DOCUMENTS AT POLLING CENTRE VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS PREPARING PAPERS AHEAD OF VOTE FIRST PERSON AT POLLING CENTRE CASTING VOTE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) FIRST VOTER, NAALA KHASHIG, SECRETARY OF COMMISSION AT POLLING STATION, SAYING: "I voted first, with God's grace I have a lucky hand. I wish the people peace; the most important thing is that everything goes calmly and peacefully. And we will vote for our new president who will bring joy to our Abkhazia." CHIEF OF ELECTION COMMISSION AT POLLING STATION, LARRISA BARTSITS, TALKING TO OFFICIALS OBSERVERS MONITORING VOTING PROCESS VOTER LOOKING AT INFORMATION BOARD ON CANDIDATES ACTING PRESIDENT AND SPEAKER OF REGIONAL PARLIAMENT, VALERY BGANBA, WALKS INTO POLLING STATION VARIOUS OF BGANBA WAITING TO VOTE BGANBA CASTING VOTE AND WALKING OFF (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ACTING PRESIDENT AND SPEAKER OF REGIONAL PARLIAMENT, VALERY BGANBA, SAYING: "I think today is not simply a presidential election but a vote on our fate, we are voting for our country's future, our children's future, we vote for our reforms, our social progress and economic progress." VARIOUS OF VOTING IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ACTING PRESIDENT AND SPEAKER OF REGIONAL PARLIAMENT, VALERY BGANBA, SAYING: "I think everything will progress peacefully and tomorrow, or even tonight, we will congratulate the new president of our country." MAN WAITING TO CAST VOTE AS OFFICIAL LOOKS AT HIS DOCUMENTS WOMAN CASTING VOTE VOTING IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF PRESS CENTRE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CHAIRMAN OF CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION, BATAL TABAGUA, SAYING: "There are no violations; there were moments that gave way to some questions from observers and local (election) commissions representatives. We consulted with them and the central election commission is dealing with these matters. Everything is progressing according to the law, everything is working well." OBSERVER FROM RUSSIA FEDERATION, NIKOLAI LIKHACHEV, AT POLLING STATION WITH OFFICIALS POLLING STATION WORKERS WOMAN CASTING VOTE
- Embargoed: 8th September 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Georgia
- Country: Georgia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA2AP5XJM0CKWJZ2M57MK6WD4OT
- Story Text: The people of Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia on Sunday (August 24) took to polling stations to vote for a new president.
The election comes after the former president Alexander Ankvab was forced to resign earlier in the year, following days of political unrest, in which demonstrators stormed the presidential headquarters and accused the premier of corruption and misrule.
A steady stream of voters filed into a polling station in the capital of the Black Sea coastal region on Sunday.
Naala Khashig, the secretary of the commission at the polling station, who took the chance to be the first voter, said she hoped she "had a lucky hand."
"I wish the people peace; the most important thing is that everything goes calmly and peacefully. And we will vote for our new president who will bring joy to our Abkhazia," Khashig added.
Raul Khadzhimba, who lost a presidential election to Ankvab in 2011, is slated as frontrunner in the election.
Whoever leads Abkhazia, it will continue to have close ties with Moscow, on which it depends for political and economic assistance. The opposition describes the unrest as a local issue and draws no parallels with events outside the province.
Acting president Valery Bganba said the election would herald social change and reform.
"I think today is not simply a presidential election but a vote on our fate, we are voting for our country's future, our children's future, we vote for our reforms, our social progress and economic progress," said Bganba, after casting his vote.
"I think everything will progress peacefully and tomorrow, or even tonight, we will congratulate the new president of our country," he added.
Batal Tabagua, the chairman of the Central Election Commission in Abkhazia, said no serious violations had been registered over procedures.
"There are no violations; there were moments that gave way to some questions from observers and local (election) commissions representatives. We consulted with them and the central election commission is dealing with these matters. Everything is progressing according to the law, everything is working well," said Tabagua.
Russia had sent over an observer to Abkhazia for the election.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, both relatively poor provinces in Georgia, were the focus of a war between Georgia and Russia in 2008 and now rely on Moscow's backing.
Abkhazia broke from Georgian rule in a 1992-1993 war after the Soviet collapse. Moscow recognized it as an independent state after Russia fought a five-day war with Georgia in 2008, and at the same time strengthened control over the region.
Only a handful of other nations recognize Abkhazia as an independent state.
Georgia considers the election illegal.
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