On Saturday, February 15, “early presidential elections” began in the self-proclaimed republic of Abkhazia. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry condemned them and noted that Ukraine does not recognize them.
This is reported by Echo of the Caucasus and the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
Local authorities claim that as of 3:00 PM local time (1:00 PM Kyiv time), turnout is 43% (60 613 people).
Up to 135 000 people are expected to take part. Outside Abkhazia, voting will take place in Moscow and Cherkessk (Russia). On the eve of the election, a polling station in the Turkish city of Sakarya, where a significant part of the Abkhazian diaspora lives, was closed. The reason for the decision is unknown.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the holding of "elections" in the occupied territory of Georgia.
"Ukraine does not recognize these fake "elections" and considers them as a systemic attempt by the Russian Federation to legitimize the pro-Russian separatist regime in the occupied Georgian territory," the department emphasized.
They recalled that Ukraine has consistently supported and will support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders and does not recognize the "independence" of occupied Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia.
"Russia must liberate the occupied territories of Georgia and Ukraine, and Russian war criminals must bear the strictest responsibility for their crimes," the Foreign Ministry emphasized.
What is happening in Abkhazia?
On November 19, the so-called President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, resigned; the same day, this decision was supported by the parliament of the unrecognized country.
This happened against the backdrop of protests due to the fact that at the end of October 2024, an investment agreement was signed in Moscow, under which large Russian businesses receive unprecedented benefits, the opportunity to implement their projects in the territory of Abkhazia, as well as ownership of land and property.
Bzhaniya stated that in exchange for his resignation, the protesters must leave the territory of the government buildings they had broken into.
Ultimately, in December, the Abkhazian “parliament” refused to ratify the investment agreement.
- Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia in 1992, with active military support from Moscow, leading to open war with Tbilisi. After a five-day war between Russia and Georgia in 2008, the Kremlin recognized the regionʼs "independence," although most of the world community still recognizes Georgiaʼs sovereignty over Abkhazia.
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