1999 Abkhazian presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Abkhazia on 3 October 1999, alongside a constitutional referendum. They were the first direct presidential elections in Abkhazia, and resulted in a victory for incumbent President Vladislav Ardzinba, who ran unopposed.[1]

1999 Abkhazian presidential election

3 October 1999

Nominee Vladislav Ardzinba Party Apsny Running mate Valery Arshba Popular vote 186,792 Percentage 99.11%

President before election Vladislav Ardzinba Apsny Elected President Vladislav Ardzinba Apsny

Background

The previous presidential elections in 1994 had been indirect, with Ardzinba elected by the People's Assembly.

In August 1999 the Central Election Commission (CEC) headed by Viacheslav Tsugba set-up 28 electoral districts for the purpose of the elections.[2]

Campaign

Incumbent President Ardzinba was nominated by the national-patriotic movement Apsny,[3] and also received the support of the Communist Party[4] and the Abkhaz diaspora in Turkey.[5]

On 2 September, the CEC registered the nomination of former Foreign Minister Leonid Lakerbaia by his People's Party.[6] However, his candidacy was not approved.[7] The CEC also denied registration to Yahya Kazan, who had been Abkhazia's representative in the United States, on the grounds that he had not lived in Abkhazia for the previous five years and that he did not have a working command of the Abkhaz language.[8]

There were also rumours that former Vice Chairman Zurab Achba of Aidgylara would run for president, which he dismissed in an interview with Nuzhnaya Gazeta as a "nightmare of an idea".[9]

Results

Candidate		Running mate	Party	Votes	%
	Vladislav Ardzinba	Valeri Arshba	Apsny	186,792	99.11
Against all				1,683	0.89
Total				188,475	100.00
Valid votes				188,475	99.93
Invalid/blank votes				129	0.07
Total votes				188,604	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				214,503	87.93
Source: Lenta.ru

References

1. Wheatley, Jonathan (2005). Georgia from national awakening to Rose Revolution: delayed transition in the former Soviet Union. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 121. ISBN 0-7546-4503-7.
2. "Daily News August 9, 1999". Sarke. 9 August 1999. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
3. "Daily News August 11, 1999". Sarke. 11 August 1999. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
4. "Daily News August 16, 1999". Sarke. 16 August 1999. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
5. "Daily News October 1, 1999". Sarke. 1 October 1999. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
6. "Daily News September 3, 1999". Sarke. 3 September 1999. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
7. Sharia, Vitali (5 September 2011). "Как в Абхазии президентов выбирали". Ekho Kavkaza. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
8. Tesemnikova, Ekaterina (7 July 2001). "Тбилиси ищет альтернативу Ардзинбе". Независимая газета. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
9. "Daily News August 13, 1999". Sarke. 13 August 1999. Retrieved 7 January 2012.