Repeated voting 'creates threat of civil war', says Ardzinba

Abkhazian President Vladislav Ardzinba has announced that the decision concerning the results of voting in the election was made by the Central Election Commission under pressure and has created a threat of civil war in the republic. Ardzinba called upon the candidates for the post of President of the Republic of Abkhazia "to use the authority they have to influence their supporters so that to prevent the deepening of a split in the society, preserve stability, and keep political processes within the framework of the legal field."

The president believes the Commission's decision on the repeated voting in the Gali district does not comply with the Law on the Election of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia, which does not provide for repeated voting in separate election districts.

"On the night of October 5-6, 2004, members of the Abkhazian Central Election Commission were assembled for an unplanned extraordinary meeting, being under pressure of Segey Bagapsh's election stuff. Because of threats, they had to vote for the decision to annul results of the election in the Gali district and hold repeated voting on its territory," the president's statement, published by Abkhazia's representatives in Moscow, reads.