20 Aug 2019 17:24

Abkhaz CEC disqualifies candidate from presidential race

SUKHUM. Aug 20 (Interfax) - The Abkhaz Central Elections Commission (CEC) has annulled the registration of a presidential candidate, Astamur Otyrba, the former director general of the state unitary enterprise Abkhazchai.

The decision was made because Otyrba had failed to register a candidate for vice president within the deadline established by law, CEC Chairman Tamaz Gogia told journalists.

"The Central Elections Commission withdrew Astamur Otyrba's registration and denied the registration of his candidate for vice president at a hearing on Tuesday, because the documents to register the candidate for vice president were submitted in violation of the submission deadline," Gogia said, citing the constitutional law on presidential elections.

According to the CEC head, "the legal time limit for the submission of documents to register vice presidential candidacies ended yesterday, at 6 p.m. on Monday."

It was reported earlier that the CEC had registered ten candidates to run in the Abkhaz presidential election.

On August 9, vice presidential candidate David Dasania, who had been running for election alongside Otyrba, notified the Abkhaz CEC that he was withdrawing from the electoral race. On Monday, August 12, the Abkhaz CEC cancelled his registration as a candidate for vice president.

The Abkhaz presidential election is slated for August 25.