An initiative group supporting Sergey Shamba, the breakaway region’s prime minister, has formally requested to the Abkhaz central election commission to register him as a candidate for the early presidential elections set for August 26, the Abkhaz news agency, Apsnypress, reported on July 8.

Deadline for nominating candidates for the early elections expires on July 17.

Raul Khajimba, former vice president of the breakaway region, and Alexander Ankvab, acting president, have been formally nominated as candidates late last month.

Sergey Shamba was appointed on the post of prime minister in February, 2010 after serving for nearly thirteen years as the breakaway region’s foreign minister. He was deputy defense minister during the armed conflict in 1992-93.