Abkhazia's CEC announces preliminary results of parliamentary elections: three more oppositionists become MPs

According to the preliminary outcomes of the repeated elections held on March 24, 2012, in 20 constituencies, three nominees of oppositional forces – the Hero of Abkhazia Aslan Kobakhiya, the head of the organization named "Akhyatsa" Akhra Bzhaniya, and the surgeon Apollon Gurguliya – were elected as new MPs.

Two other candidates-winners of the second round – Dmitry Gunba and Akhra Kvekveskiri – had been nominated by the Party "United Abkhazia", which supports the present government of the republic. The remaining 15 persons had been nominated individually – by initiative groups.

The 40 candidates, who reached the second round, included six nominees of the opposition party "People's Unity Forum of Abkhazia", three candidates from the "United Abkhazia", one – from the centrist "Party of Economic Development", the remaining 30 candidates were nominated by initiative groups, including nine current MPs.

The speaker of the current parliament Nugzar Ashuba and Vice-Speaker Irina Agrba have lost their elections.

Only three out of nine current MPs managed to pass through to its new membership: Mikhail Sanguliya, Adgur Kharaziya and Yuri Zukhba. Levon Galustyan, an independent journalist from the "Abaza TV", is also among the winners.

On March 25, the CEC will announce preliminary outcomes of the second round of the parliamentary elections, and the final ones – in accordance with the law – within a week.