On January 13, after a day earlier, Raul Khadjimba decided to resign under pressure from protesters, the parliament of Abkhazia appointed Valery Bganba acting Prime Minister. The re-election of the President of Abkhazia is scheduled for March 22. Raul Khadjimba refused to run for president, while opposition leader Aslan Bzhaniya announced his participation in the presidential election. Aslan Bzhaniya has a high chance of winning the presidential race, and he suits the Kremlin. However, serious rivalry for him can come from candidates close to the previous government and members of the opposition.
