Presidential Run-off Needed In Georgian Breakaway Region Of Abkhazia

MOSCOW, Feb 16 (Bernama-dpa) -- The political leadership of the disputed region of Abkhazia in the Caucasus must be determined in a run-off election after no clear leader emerged in Saturday's first round of voting, reported German news agency dpa. 

"None of the presidential candidates have achieved the number of votes required for the election, hence the vote will be repeated," election director Dmitri Marshan was cited on Sunday by the Russian news agency Interfax as saying. 

The two leading candidates, Badra Gunba and Adgur Ardzinba, are now expected to take part in the run-off on March 1.

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According to the Russian service of the BBC, Gunba received around 46 per cent of the first-round votes, while Ardzinba secured 37 per cent; The remaining three candidates collectively garnered less than 10 per cent; Voter turnout was 69 per cent.

The presidential election was brought forward after massive protests against the incumbent Aslan Bzhania occurred in November. The backdrop was the planned signing of an investment contract with Russia. 

Although Abkhazia is politically, militarily and economically highly dependent on Moscow, many people in the capital, Sokhumi, demonstrated against the contract. They fear a sell-off of national interests.

The former economy minister, Ardzinba, is considered a spokesman for this movement. In contrast, the Kremlin reportedly conducted the election campaign for his opponent Gunba, who provisionally took over the presidential duties following Bzhania's resignation.

Abkhazia unilaterally declared independence from Georgia in 1992 after a bloody civil war, but its statehood is not recognised internationally.

In 2008, following a war between Georgia and Russia over the region of South Ossetia, which then also seceded from Tbilisi, Moscow recognised Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's sovereignty.

-- BERNAMA-dpa