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Abkhazian parliament accepts resignation of republic’s president

Following talks between the government and the opposition that lasted from Monday night to Tuesday morning, Aslan Bzhania submitted his resignation "in order to preserve stability and constitutional order in the country"

Aslan Bzhania Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Aslan Bzhania

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

SUKHUM, November 19. /TASS/. Delegates of the Abkhazian Parliament have voted to accept the resignation of the republic’s president Aslan Bzhania’s, a TASS correspondent reported.

Following talks between the government and the opposition that lasted from Monday night to Tuesday morning, Bzhania submitted his resignation "in order to preserve stability and constitutional order in the country." According to the Abkhazian constitution, the parliament must approve the resignation. Thirty-one delegates participated in the vote, 28 deputies voted for the resignation, one was against it and two ballots were damaged. Current Vice President Badra Gunba was appointed as interim Abkhazian president, Parliament Speaker Lasha Ashuba said.

Situation in Abkhazia

On November 15, Abkhazia’s parliament was scheduled to consider ratifying the agreement with Russia on investment projects by Russian legal entities in the republic. The parliament canceled the session because the deputies failed to approve the agenda. The opposition demanded that the parliament be reconvened to remove the issue from the agenda.

Later, the opposition demanded that President Aslan Bzhania resign and took over several government buildings in downtown Sukhum, including the parliament, the cabinet of ministers and the presidential administration. Following talks overnight on November 18-19, the government and the opposition signed an agreement according to which Bzhania steps down.

After the agreement was concluded, the protesters began to leave the government building.

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