Zatulin: Khajimba and Bjaniya have best chances of reaching second round at presidential election in Abkhazia

The presidential candidates Raul Khajimba and Aslan Bjaniya are most probable rivals at the second round of the Abkhazian presidential election, Konstantin Zatulin, the Director of the Institute of CIS Countries, told in his interview to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The early presidential election in Abkhazia was scheduled for August 24, after the previous president Alexander Ankvab resigned as offered by the parliament. The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Abkhazia has registered four presidential candidates: Aslan Bjaniya, Leonid Dzapshba, Raul Khajimba and Mirab Kishmariya.

According to Konstantin Zatulin, the second round of the upcoming election "is possible, but not obligatory." Meanwhile, Russia, as Zatulin has noted, will not place its obvious stake on any of the candidates, as "it already has the experience of this kind."

"Besides, all the candidates speak in favour of development and deepening of Abkhazia's relations with Russia; and Russia has only one interest – not to have the election turn into civil confrontation," said the expert.

However, none of the candidates supports incorporation of their republic by Russia, but "they are all for deeper cooperation and integration of the two countries," Zatulin has added.