Abkhazia president Sergei Bagapsh plans to run for second term

MOSCOW (Itar-Tass) -- Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh intends to run for the second term at the presidential elections in the republic due in December 2009.

“I intend to run for the second term, as under the Abkhazian Constitution the president is granted the right to be elected twice for five years each time,” Bagapsh told a press conference in Moscow on Friday.

According to Bagapsh, “It will be democratic elections, and the most important thing that they should be transparent and fair.”

“Before the elections there can be various views, but after the elections all the people should respect the choice of majority. Only this way we will build a civilized and democratic state,” the Abkhazian president said.