The Abkhaz Council of Elders offers all candidates for president to
unite into a single electoral bloc, an elder, Constantine Ozgan, said
on Wednesday, RIA Novosti reports.
Abkhazia's second President Sergey Bagapsh died on May 31, after lung
surgery, aged 62. He had been president since 2005. Early elections
were called for August 26.
If the candidates fail to unite, the new president should recruit
administrators from all electoral blocs, the elders say.
The Central Electoral Commission has registered three initiative
groups, promoting Alexander Ankvab, Sergey Shamba and Raul Hajimba.
Svetlana Jergeniya, widow of first Abkhaz President Vladislav
Ardzinba, and Raul Hajimba were proposed as vice-presidents.
