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Abkhazian presidential election recognized as valid, voter turnout exceeds 25%

Nine candidates were running for president in the first round. Incumbent Abkhazian President Raul Khajimba and leader of the opposition party Amtsakhara, Alkhas Kvitsiniya, made it into the runoff

SUKHUM, September 8. /TASS/. The runoff presidential election in Abkhazia has been recognized as valid, with the the voter turnout as of 3 p.m. reaching 38.41%, the head of the Central Election Commission, Tamaz Gogiya, said on Sunday.

"The voter turnout’s threshold has been overcome, the total number of voters stands at 38.41%," Gogiya said. As of 3 p.m., 48,614 people out of 126,950 eligible voters have cast their ballots. In the first round, the voter turnout reached 39.14% by this time.

During the runoff election, the voter turnout needs to be at least 25%, and the winner is elected by the simple majority of votes.

Nine candidates were running for president in the first round. Incumbent Abkhazian President Raul Khajimba and leader of the opposition party Amtsakhara, Alkhas Kvitsiniya, made it into the runoff. In the first round on August 25, they secured 24.83% and 22.91% of the vote, respectively.

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