The EU said it does not recognize presidential election held in Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia on August 24.

"The European Union supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia, as recognised by international law,” a spokesperson of EU foreign policy chief Cathrene Ashton said in a statement on August 24. “In view of reports about 'presidential elections' in the Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia on 24 August, we recall that the European Union does not recognise the constitutional and legal framework within which these elections have taken place."

Meanwhile in Sokhumi Raul Khajimba, one of the four candidates running in the race for the Abkhaz leadership, claimed victory and his supporters started celebrating in the breakaway region’s capital late on Sunday night, Russian news agencies reported.

Breakaway region’s Central Election Commission (CEC) is expected to announce early official results on Monday morning.