Winner declared in disputed election in Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia

By Davit Kachkachishvili and Alperen Aktas

TBILISI, Georgia / ISTANBUL (AA) – A winner has been declared in a disputed election in Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia supported by Russia.

Dmitry Marshan, head of the so-called Abkhazia Central Election Commission, announced that Badra Gunba secured 54.73% of the votes in the runoff, defeating Adgur Ardzinba, former economy chief of the separatist administration, who got 41.54%.

The election followed the resignation of Aslan Bzhania, Abkhazia’s previous sepratist administration head, in November due to political disputes. The first round of voting took place on Feb. 15, with Gunba and Ardzinba advancing to the second round.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry condemned the election, saying the vote in the Russian-occupied region was illegal and violated Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The ministry reiterated that Abkhazia remains under Russian occupation, with hundreds of thousands of people forcibly displaced, and called the election illegitimate under international law.

It also urged Russia to withdraw its military forces from Georgian territory and abide by a 2008 cease-fire agreement.

Abkhazia, a coastal region along the Black Sea, was the site of a conflict between Georgian forces and Russian-backed separatists from 1992 to 1993. In 2008, following the Russia-Georgia war over South Ossetia, another separatist region, Abkhazia and South Ossetia declared unilateral independence with Moscow’s backing.

Russia recognized both regions as independent states in 2008, leading Georgia to sever diplomatic ties with Moscow. Switzerland has since acted as a mediator between the two countries.

Neighboring Türkiye is among the countries that support Georgia’s territorial integrity and do not recognize Abkhazia as independent.