1999 Abkhazian presidential election explained

Country:Abkhazia
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1994 Abkhazian presidential election
Previous Year:1994
Next Election:2004 Abkhazian presidential election
Next Year:2004
Election Date:3 October 1999
Image1 Size:150x100px
Nominee1:Vladislav Ardzinba
Colour1:00A859
Party1:Apsny
Running Mate1:Valery Arshba
Popular Vote1:186,792
Percentage1:99.11%
President
Before Election:Vladislav Ardzinba
Before Party:Apsny
After Election:Vladislav Ardzinba
After Party:Apsny

Presidential elections were held in Abkhazia on 3 October 1999, alongside a constitutional referendum. They were the first direct presidential elections in Abkhazia, and resulted in a victory for incumbent President Vladislav Ardzinba, who ran unopposed.[1]

Background

The previous presidential elections in 1994 had been indirect, with Ardzinba elected by the People's Assembly.

In August 1999 the Central Election Commission (CEC) headed by Viacheslav Tsugba set-up 28 electoral districts for the purpose of the elections.[2]

Campaign

Incumbent President Ardzinba was nominated by the national-patriotic movement Apsny,[3] and also received the support of the Communist Party[4] and the Abkhaz diaspora in Turkey.[5]

On 2 September, the CEC registered the nomination of former Foreign Minister Leonid Lakerbaia by his People's Party.[6] However, his candidacy was not approved.[7] The CEC also denied registration to Yahya Kazan, who had been Abkhazia's representative in the United States, on the grounds that he had not lived in Abkhazia for the previous five years and that he did not have a working command of the Abkhaz language.[8]

There were also rumours that former Vice Chairman Zurab Achba of Aidgylara would run for president, which he dismissed in an interview with Nuzhnaya Gazeta as a "nightmare of an idea".[9]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Wheatley, Jonathan . Georgia from national awakening to Rose Revolution: delayed transition in the former Soviet Union . 2005 . Ashgate Publishing, Ltd . 0-7546-4503-7 . 121 .
  2. News: Daily News August 9, 1999. 7 January 2012. Sarke. 9 August 1999.
  3. News: Daily News August 11, 1999. 7 January 2012. Sarke. 11 August 1999.
  4. News: Daily News August 16, 1999. 7 January 2012. Sarke. 16 August 1999.
  5. News: Daily News October 1, 1999. 7 January 2012. Sarke. 1 October 1999.
  6. News: Daily News September 3, 1999. 7 January 2012. Sarke. 3 September 1999.
  7. News: Sharia. Vitali. Как в Абхазии президентов выбирали. 25 September 2011. Ekho Kavkaza. 5 September 2011.
  8. News: Tesemnikova. Ekaterina. Тбилиси ищет альтернативу Ардзинбе. 5 October 2014. Независимая газета. 7 July 2001.
  9. News: Daily News August 13, 1999. 7 January 2012. Sarke. 13 August 1999.