SUKHUM, January 13. /TASS/. Abkhazia’s Vice President Aslan Bartsits has tendered his resignation taking cue from President Raul Khajimba, a statement posted on Khajimba’s official website reads.

"In accordance with Abkhazia’s Constitution and given that Abkhaz President Raul Khajimba has tendered his resignation, for the sake of maintaining peace and stability in the Republic of Abkhazia and achieving national accord, I declare that I am stepping down as vice president," Bartsits said in a statement.

Abkhaz President Raul Khajimba tendered his resignation on Sunday evening. That was confirmed by Parliament Speaker Valery Kvarchia. Khajimba who had served as Abkhazia’s President since 2014 was re-elected for a second term in September 2019.

On January 9, a crowd of protesters in Sukhum demanding Khajimba’s resignation burst into the building of the presidential staff. Abkhazia’s parliament met in a session to vote for a message to the president urging him to step down to stabilize the situation.

On Friday, Abkhazia’s Supreme Court canceled the Central Election Commission’s decision regarding the outcome of the presidential election and called an election rerun on March 22. Both decisions can be challenged in court.