Election of the President of Abkhazia ends in the first round

SUKHUM -- The election of the President of Abkhazia has ended in the first round.

According to preliminary data, the Central Election Commission declared the morning after the counting of votes that Raul Khadzhimba had gained 50.57% of the votes.

Khadzhimba’s nearest rival, Acting Chairman of the State Security Service of the Republic of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, took 35.91% of the votes. 6.4% voted for acting Defence Minister, Mirab Kishmaria, whilst former Interior Minister, Leonid Dziapshba, took 3.4%. 1.8% of voters voted against all the candidates.

The voter-turnout was about 70%.