"For a first time in many years, our country has a unique opportunity to buttress independence and guarantee all our citizens' wellbeing and security. That is clear now to a majority of our nation," he said before coming down on "certain forces that make irresponsible attempts to thwart [an upcoming presidential] election and destabilise the situation in this republic".
The ruling bodies are doing all they can to guarantee stability and the free expression of the people's will, reassured Mr. Ardzinba.
"Dear compatriots, we need your support. Please think hard about Motherland's destinies and your children's future. Do not succumb to provocation! Stay calm! Please be active in the presidential poll. We shall fight the danger off together, I am sure," the President appealed to the population before the poll, due October 3, Sunday next. He had refused, on health reasons, to run for another term.
Meanwhile, the Abkhaz public political movement Aitaira (Renascence) is calling to put off the presidential election, register voters according to their actual place of residence, and later introduce biannual list checks, as of January 1 and July 1. The Aitaira is highlighting a major problem here-as mutually clashing statistics have it, from 30% to 80% of Abkhaz people are not staying in the places of their registered residence, and so have bad predicaments in coming to the polls.
"We have been saying again and again for several months now that this country is not ready for a just and aboveboard presidential election. As things are now, none of the losers will acknowledge his defeat. A victory in this election is the last thing I can wish anyone," says Leonid Lakerbaya, prominent on the Aitaira.
There are two major presidential hopefuls. Prime Minister Raul Khajimba is official successor to the incumbent. Sergei Bagapsh of the political opposition also was Premier once. Now he is Director General of the government company Chernomorenergo. Alexander Ankvab, of tremendous popularity, once held the Interior portfolio in Abkhazia. Now he is prosperous private entrepreneur in Moscow. He was not registsred for the presidential race on formal reasons. Mr. Ankvab has announced support for Sergei Bagapsh to spectacularly increase his chance.
It does not matter much to Georgia who wins the Sunday poll as there are no pro-Georgian candidates on the race, holds Georgi Khaindrava, Georgia's State Minister for Conflict Settlement.
As he sees it, Khajimba's victory would satisfy Georgia. "Things would be better if Khajimba won to the top. After Russia and Georgia get their stances closer on [Abkhaz] conflict settlement, Khajimba, Moscow's evident favourite, would be easier to negotiate with-that's what I mean," the minister explained to a news conference today.
Raul Khajimba's current public rating is at 39 per cent, as against Sergei Bagapsh's 46 per cent, say opinion probes made by independent sociological agencies.
"I tyink Abkhazia is in for a runoff," remarked Georgi Khaindrava.
Neither Georgia nor the world will consider the upcoming Abkhaz poll legitimate, he emphatically added.
