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Abkhazian opposition may leave governmental buildings after election campaign starts

The Abkhazian opposition demands a resolution of the political situation in the country and the election of a new president

SUKHUM, November 18. /TASS/. Abkhazia's opposition will cede control of the government buildings in the center of Sukhum only after its political demands are fulfilled, Adgur Ardzinba, leader of the Abkhazian Popular Movement, said.

The Abkhazian opposition demands a resolution of the political situation in the country and the election of a new president. "People will gladly leave [the Abkhazian governmental buildings] when the political situation has been stabilized, when [Acting Abkhazian President] Aslan Bzhania resigns, when we establish a normal political dialogue and begin an election campaign," Ardzinba said.

Situation in Abkhazia

On November 15, Abkhazia’s parliament was expected to consider the ratification of the agreement with Russia on the implementation of investment projects in Abkhazia by Russian legal entities, but the session was canceled after the lawmakers failed to agree on its agenda. The opposition, meanwhile, demanded that the issue be removed from the agenda entirely.

Later, the opposition demanded President Aslan Bzhania step down. However, Bzhania refused to resign and called on people not to yield to provocations.

Meanwhile, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that relations with Abkhazia are among Russia’s priorities and called for the quickest possible normalization of the situation in that country. Deputy speaker of Russia’s Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Konstantin Kosachev told TASS earlier that Russia supports the constitutional order in the friendly Abkhazia and stressed that Moscow has never supported state coups.

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