An apparent paradox of current presidential campaign - the candidate who spent minimum of money for the presidential agitation  has won the elections.

          The most sumptuous agitation had Sergei Shamba. A well - grounded  election program, obviously written by Russian experts, an hour magnificent advertising reel, large banners and extensions with portraits of the candidate or together with a young vice president, color newspapers and booklets.

          As a result every fifth voted for him. This is much better result than  Shamba gained in 2004, having collected about seven percents.

 

          Raul Khadjimba received approximately 800 votes less. His financial facilities were more modest, but he also spent money for a quite good election program, color newspapers and small printings.  Khadjimba lost a third time in the presidential run-off and this means, that the opposition must look for a new leader.

 

          Alexandr Ankvab led his election campaign restraint, underlying realistic goals of his moderate promises. Just two days till the day of election voters got a glued white envelope with a booklet and an Appeal in which again he emphasized an unpopulist character of his development strategy.

 

          The results of the elections have proved once again that in our small country it is not money but a steady reputation which, at the moment at least, is the determining factor. The voters have placed their trust in an industrial manager, who, according to the opinion of many, has the political will to introduce order

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          The nearest year will show if the legend of menacing Ankvab, a fighter against corruption and criminality is justified?

          If he doesn’t manage to break in the situation in these spheres till the next Day of Independence, to change the administrative structure and give a start to a real economic growth, Abkhazia for long will drop behind its neighbors, as on both sides of its borders a large construction is going on. Sochi is preparing for Olympic Games, Batumi has already become the most gathering city on the Black Sea coast.

          For choice we have two variants of development. One is to remain a long time tumbledown province with invisible plates of “occupied ” or to move to modern rates of development which require modern order and lawfulness.

Nadezhda Venedictova