Republic of Abkhazia

2009 Presidential Election Results

The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Abkhazia has announced that President Sergei Bagapsh won a second five-year term with 59. 4 percent of the votes cast in elections held on December 12. The Commission said 100,740 voters--73 percent of those eligible--cast ballots at polling places around Abkhazia.

According to the Commission, the voting broke down as follows:

In a statement, President Bagapsh said,

It is an honor to have been re-elected as President of the Republic of Abkhazia, and I thank the people of this country for their confidence. This election is truly historic.

It is the first Abkhazia has had since its recognition as an independent country, solidifying our sovereignty.

Five candidates competed, making the election debate vigorous and providing the voters with broad choices.

In addition, the people of Abkhazia were active--138,000 or 73 percent of those eligible cast their ballots at polling places around the country.

The election was transparent, fair, and orderly with 82 observers from 21 countries and several local NGOs monitoring the voting. News media outlets from around the world covered our election with free access to all candidates and the people of Abkhazia.

In essence, these elections have firmly established Abkhazia as a democratic, rule-of-law state where citizens can elect their leader and help decide their own futures. I'm extremely proud to have served as their President for the past five years and look forward to the progress we will make together in the next five years, bringing Abkhazia to its rightful place in the international community and building a quality of life in this country that will assure our independence, our success, and our prosperity for generations to come.