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Conflict in Abkhazia

Valery Bganba takes over as Abkhazia’s acting president

SUKHUM, June 01 /ITAR-TASS/. Speaker of the Abkhazian parliament Valery Bganba, who was appointed interim president by the parliament on Saturday, will take over as Abkhazia’s acting President after Alexander Ankvab announced his resignation on Saturday.

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Alexander Ankvab resigns as Abkhazia’s president

Ankvab’s official representative Kristian Bzhania told Itar-Tass Ankvab had had a tete-a-tete meeting with Bganba and handed over to the latter the country’s official seal.

Earlier, leader of the Abkhazian opposition and member of the national parliament Raul Khadzhimba said that in formal terms Ankvab could run for president at the snap presidential elections scheduled for August 24.

On Saturday, Abkhazia’s parliament appointed its speaker Valery Bganba the country’s interim president and took a decision to organize early presidential elections on August 24. Ankvab said that the parliamentary decisions were flagrant violations of the constitution.

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