25/08/2014 (Agence Europe) - EU deems elections in Abkhazia illegal. On Sunday 24 August, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton criticised the “presidential elections” held in the breakaway region of Abkhazia in Georgia the same day. “We recall that the European Union does not recognise the constitutional and legal framework within which these elections have taken place”, Ashton's spokesperson stated, stating that the EU supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia, as recognised by international law. According to Russian news agency Interfax, Georgia described this election as a “violation of fundamental principles of international law, primarily those of national sovereignty”. On Monday 25 August, the electoral commission announced that opposition leader Raul Khadzhimba had been elected with 50.7% of the votes as opposed to 35.91% for his main rival, Aslan Bzhania. Around 110,000 voters were called on to elect a new president from among four candidates. (CG)