Only three foreign parliamentary delegations of observers will come to Abkhazia for the presidential elections
On February 15, early presidential elections will be held in the self-proclaimed Republic of Abkhazia. Official parliamentary delegations of observers were sent only by Russia, South Ossetia and Transnistria.
This is due to the fact that most countries and international organizations do not recognize the sovereignty of Abkhazia, considering it part of Georgia. The independence of the republic was recognized only by the Russian Federation, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru and Syria, as well as the self-proclaimed unrecognized South Ossetia and the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.
In addition, representatives of public organizations from 28 countries requested accreditation to the Central Election Commission of Abkhazia. Most of them are “third world” countries.
Five candidates ran for the post of President of Abkhazia: Acting President Badra Gunba, former Minister of Economy, leader of the Abkhaz People's Movement Adgur Ardzinba, former trade representative of Abkhazia in Moscow Oleg Bartsits, former head of the Control Chamber Robert Arshba and chairman of the board of the commercial bank "Black Sea Development Bank" Adgur Khurkhumal.
In mid-December 2024, former President of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania refused to register for the elections as a candidate. Badra Gunba was nominated from his team. Let us recall that on November 19, the parliament of Abkhazia accepted the early resignation of Aslan Bzhania, which was one of the demands of the opposition. After that, the former head of the unrecognized republic announced his intention to run for office again, but later changed his mind. Subsequently, the parliament voted against the ratification of the agreement with the Russian Federation on investments. Earlier, its possible adoption caused mass protests.
