Abkhaz language
On 2 September, the CEC registered the nomination of former Foreign Minister Leonid Lakerbaia by his People's Party. However, his candidacy was not approved. The CEC also denied registration to Yahya Kazan, who had been Abkhazia's representative in the United States, on the grounds that he had not lived in Abkhazia for the previous five years and that he did not have a working command of the Abkhaz language.