Abkhazian people fail to come to referendum

Voter turnout at a referendum on early election of the Abkhazian president was 0.99% two hours before the polling stations were to be closed, Batal Tabagua, chair of the Central Election Commission of Abkhazia has announced.

He said the referendum will be most probably declared void.

The Abkhazian people are to answer the following question: "Do you find it necessary to call early election of the president of the Republic of Abkhazia?"

According to the Central Election COmmission, 133,202 persons are on the lists of eligible voters. 151 polling stations are functioning in the republic of the referendum day. The voting started at 07:00 a.m. and will last till 08:00 p.m.

Earlier, various political and non-governmental forces said that the referendum had no sense. The opposition called the people on July 9 not to take part in the voting.

The referndum will be declared void, if less than a half of voters comes to the polling stations. A decision is treated as passed, if more than a half of those who came to vote support it.