Five candidates have been nominated to run in presidential elections in breakaway Abkhazia planned for December 12, local news agency Apsnipress reported.

Incumbent Abkhaz leader, Sergey Bagapsh, will compete for re-election with Raul Khajimba, former vice-president of the breakaway region; a former lawmaker and businessman Beslan Butba, who is leader of Party of Economic Development; head of state-owned Abkhaz Shipping Company Zaur Ardzinba and a scholar Vitaly Bganba.

Deadline for nominating candidates has already expired and the breakaway region’s central election commission will have to formally register contenders before November 12.