08.2005 - Source: Freedom House

New political movement United Abkhazia took shape before October 2004 elections, with all 3 leaders becoming presidential candidates; 1 of them being former prime minister Bagapsh, who won the elections ("Freedom in the World 2005") [#41618],  [ID 5477]

"Ardzinba, who was undergoing medical treatment in Moscow for an undisclosed illness and who was no longer actively involved in the daily running of the government, insisted that he had no intention of stepping down before the next presidential election, on October 3, 2004.
In advance of the presidential poll, a new political movement, called United Abkhazia (Yedinaya Abkhazia) took shape, with the hope of putting forward a single opposition candidate. However, all three of the new movement’s leaders became presidential candidates: Sergei Shamba, the Abkhaz foreign minister; Nodar Khashba, a senior official in Russia’s emergencies ministries; and Sergei Bagapsh, a former prime minister. The Central Election Commission barred one of the leading contenders, Alexander Ankvab, for allegedly failing to meet the residency requirement for presidential candidates. The commission also cited his refusal to take a full language test to evaluate his command of the state language of the Abkhaz Republic. Ankvab, who was the breakaway republic’s interior minister during the Georgian-Abkhaz warof 1992-1993, has been among the most prominent opponents of President Ardzinba.
The post-election period descended into a volley of charges and counter-charges between Bagapsh, whom elections officials declared to be the winner of the October 3 vote with 50.08 percent of the vote—more than the 50 percent threshold needed to avert a second-round runoff—and Khajimba, who had the backing of the Ardzinba administration, as well as that of Moscow. Meanwhile, outgoing president Ardzinba, who had handpicked Khajimba as his successor, refused to leave office, contesting Bagapsh’s apparent victory. As of November 30, a clear solution for the dispute had not been realized."

Document(s): Open document

15.06.2005 - Source: Freedom House

Since October 2004 presidential elections in Abkhazia led to strife, new elections were held in January 2005 ("Nations in Transit 2005") [#32929],  [ID 5478]

"In October, Abkhazia held local presidential elections that were not recognized by the international community. The opposition candidate won, but the refusal of the separatist government to concede defeat led to civil strife, with some casualties. In late December, Russian mediation ended the crisis by compelling the opposing candidates to run on a single ticket as president and vice president for a repeat vote in January 2005. Saakashvili and his ministers reiterated their support for a peaceful resolution to the “frozen” conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia but did not rule out using military force if negotiations failed to work."

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22.03.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Sergey Shamba appointed as minister of foreign affairs ("Abkhaz Foreign Minister Appointed") [#43269],  [ID 5479]

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26.02.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Abkhazia: Otar Khatsia appointed as unrecognised republic's Interior Minister by president ("Abkhaz Interior Minister Appointed") [#43309],  [ID 5480]

Document(s): Open document

14.02.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Abkhazia: Alexander Ankvab appointed as unrecognized republic's new prime minister by president ("New Abkhaz PM Appointed") [#43276],  [ID 5481]

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12.02.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Abkhazia: Sergey Bagapsh, who was elected with more than 91 percent of votes in elections on 12 January, inaugurated as new president ("Bagapsh Sworn in as President") [#43275],  [ID 5482]

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02.2005 - Source: UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Presidential elections on 12 January 2005: Uniformed and armed groups went through villages, some of them encouraging people to vote, others preventing them from voting; the criminal gangs wore the same uniforms as security services ("Europe, Central Asia and North America region - quarterly reports of field offices") [#29691],  [ID 5483]

"The de facto Ministry of Interior and de facto Security Service deployed more personnel in the Gali district for the second round of the de facto presidential elections on 12 January, reportedly for the purpose of securing the polling stations. Residents of lower Gali reported to HROAG that armed and uniformed groups had gone through the villages on the election day, some of them trying to encourage people to vote, other preventing them from voting. In some villages, human right officers met only women and children; local men were in hiding in the aftermath of a swift raid by the special forces resulting in a number of arbitrary arrests. Villagers could not distinguish the security forces belonging to the de facto LEA from criminal gangs due to the fact that both groups frequently had identical uniforms and weapons. The continuing practice of wearing uniforms and arms by unauthorized individuals did not contribute to the rule of law and affected negatively the general human rights situation.
[...]

Intimidation attempts increased in the Gali district during the de facto presidential election period. Additional armed personnel deployed in the Security Zone brought tension, fear and insecurity among the local population."

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19.01.2005 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Abkhazia: Opposition leader Bagapsh is the winner of the repeat presidential elections; in Gali region, security service obstructed local people from getting to the polls ("Bagapsh Wins Abkhaz Marathon") [#28376],  [ID 5484]

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13.01.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Abkhazia: According to initial results of the presidential rerun opposition leader Bagapsh won 90.1 percent of the votes ("Bagapsh Set For Landslide Victory In Abkhazia") [#28177],  [ID 5485]

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13.01.2005 - Source: EurasiaNet

Abkhazia: voters in Gali and other regions intimidated by members of outgoing president Ardzinba’s guard and supporters of People’s Party chairman Lakoba ("Bagapsh set for landslide victory Abkhaz presidential poll") [#28205],  [ID 5486]

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12.01.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Vice-Speaker of Russian Parliament Sergey Baburin said that despite numerous violations that were observed in Gali district, there are all precondition to announce presidential elections as valid ("Russian Vice-Speaker: Abkhaz Polls Valid, Despite Violations in Gali") [#43451],  [ID 5487]

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12.01.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

January 12 presidential election reportedly valid, as 53% of registered voters cast ballots; no official confirmation of this report has been made by Abkhaz Central Election Commission (CEC) ("Unofficial Reports: Abkhaz Elections Valid") [#43454],  [ID 5488]

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12.01.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Gali district: Units of Abkhaz governmental guard blocked polling stations and prevents voters from casting ballots ("Conflicting Reports over Situation in Georgian-Populated Gali") [#43450],  [ID 5489]

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11.01.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Abkhazia: Analysis on repeat new presidential election scheduled for January 12; candidates are disputed winner of previous elections, opposition leader Bagapsh, and People’s Party chairman Lakoba ("Georgia: Abkhazia To Elect President In New Vote Amid Concerns Over Low Turnout") [#28148],  [ID 5490]

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11.01.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Abkhazia will go to polls to elect new leader of region on January 12 for second time in past 3 months, as last October’s elections failed to reveal President because of post-election crisis ("Abkhazia Elects New President in Repeat Polls") [#43446],  [ID 5491]

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06.01.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Abkhazia presidential candidate Sergey Bagapsh said, that Russian MPs will monitor presidential elections in breakaway republic, which are scheduled for January 12 ("Russian MPs to Monitor Abkhazia Presidential Polls") [#43442],  [ID 5492]

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05.01.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Abhkazia: It is anticipated that supporters of Raul Khajimba will try to disrupt upcoming presidential elections ("Paper: Worsening of Crisis Anticipated in Abkhazia") [#43439],  [ID 5493]

Document(s): Open document