PM of breakaway Abkhazia, Sergey Shamba, told Russia’s Interfax news agency that he might run for presidency in the early elections on August 26.

“I do not rule out running for the president,” Shamba said on June 15.

Another potential candidate is acting president of the breakaway region, Alexander Ankvab, who says that will only make announcement about his decision whether to run or not after registration of candidates officially starts later this month.

“There is a possibility that both of us – me and Ankvab – will be contesting the post. If both of us run, it can be guaranteed, that each of us will recognize results of fair and democratic elections and that these elections will be friendly,” Shamba told Interfax.