Dzhioyeva defies upcoming South Osseti presidential polls

South Ossetia opposition leader Alla Dzhioyeva, who won the November 27 presidential runoff which was later annulled by the Supreme Court, said on Saturday that she would not participate in the “illegitimate” presidential polls on March 25, RIA Novosti reported.

“The election will be illegitimate, and I will not take part in it,” Dzhioyeva told her supporters, who gathered for an opposition meeting in South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali on Saturday.

After the republic's Supreme Court annulled the November polls’ voting results, citing violations, a wave of mass opposition protests forced the then president, Eduard Kokoity to resign. He then appointed Vadim Brovtsev as South Ossetian acting head.

The appointment was also part of a deal reached with Dzhioyeva. According to the terms of the deal, Kokoity stepped down and Dzhioyeva obtained the right to take part in the new elections, scheduled for March 25.

She however withdrew from the deal and demanded Brovtsev transfer power to her until January 23.
“If we do not receive a reply from South Ossetian acting president, Vadim Brovtsev until January 23, I will bring you together and arrange a date of my official inauguration,” Dzhioyeva said.