Abkhazia Completes Nomination of Presidential Candidates - CEC.
November 2, 2009
ITAR-TASS
SUKHUM - Abkhazia has completed the nomination of candidates for presidency, the Central Election Commission told Itar-Tass on Monday.
Candidates were nominated from October 13 to November 2. According to the CEC, it will end to accept documents from initiative groups and parties at 8 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Monday.
Among nominees are incumbent Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh of United Abkhazia, Beslan Butba of the Party of Economic Development of Abkhazia, as well as Raul Khadzhimba, Zaur Ardzinba and Vitaly Bganba of initiative groups. The initiative groups present candidacy lists and the parties submit the resolutions of their congresses. The Party of Economic Development of Abkhazia held the congress on October 23 and United Abkhazia met on October 27.
Candidates will be registered from November 3 to November 12.
According to CEC chairman Batala Tabagua, presidential candidates will be registered within 10 days. Then they are entitled to start the election campaign, he added.
Till November 12 presidential candidates should pass an Abkhazian language exam.
