Heavy turnout in Abkhazia's polls: election commission

The Apsnipress news agency quoted election commission chairman Batal Tabagua as saying that the election would be considered valid, as voter turnout had already exceeded 50 percent of the electorate.

Abkhazia declared independence after Georgia's 1991-1995 civil war but Georgia claims sovereignty and territorial integrity over the region.

The Georgian foreign ministry on Saturday appealed to the international community to condemn Abkhazia's presidential election, which was held three months after the death of its third elected president, Sergei Bagapsh.

"Such actions will never be legitimized and they will never determine Abkhazia's future," said deputy Georgian Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze.

Three candidates have been running for the top job. They are Alexander Ankvab (acting president), Sergey Shamba (incumbent prime minister), and Raul Khajimba (former vice president).

A pre-poll opinion survey predicts that a run-off election might be needed between Ankvab and Shamba.

Of the three, Khajimba was the first to announce his candidacy for the snap election.

Khajimba, who served as Abkhazia's vice president between 2005 and 2009, took the post as a result of a power-sharing deal reached by Bagapsh and Khajimba after the 2004 presidential election. Khajimba resigned in 2009, citing discord with Bagapsh.

In the last presidential poll in 2009, Khajimba garnered 15.4 percent of the vote but lost to Bagapsh who was re-elected for a second five-year term.

Incumbent Prime Minister Shamba was appointed to the post after having served for almost 13 years as Abkhazia's foreign minister.

He was deputy defense minister between 1992 and 1993 during Georgia's 1991-94 civil war.