Raul Khajimba Wins so-called Presidential Runoff

Incumbent Abkhaz President Raul Khajimba has won the so-called presidential runoff, according to preliminary data, garnering 47.38% of the vote, head of Abkhazia’s de facto Central Election Commission (CEC) Tamaz Gogia told TASS on Monday.

"According to preliminary data, Raul Khajimba is deemed elected in accordance with Article 19 of Abkhazia’s constitutional law on electing the President of the Republic of Abkhazia. Alkhas Kvitsiniya won 46.19% [of the vote], while Raul Khajimba secured 47.38% in the presidential runoff," he said.

Khajimba’s headquarters earlier reported that the incumbent president won 49.3% of the vote after 80,800 of 81,100 ballots had been counted. He is nearly 1.5 percentage points ahead of leader of the opposition party Amtsakhara, Alkhas Kvitsiniya, the headquarters said.

Abkhazia’s so-called presidential runoff was held on September 8.

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By Ana Dumbadze