South Ossetia has elected Leonid Tibilov, former head of the republic’s KGB, as president. He got 53.74% of vote. His opponent Ombudsman David Sanakoyev admitted Tibilov’s victory and congratulated him, RIA Novosti reports.
The Supreme Court did not recognize voting results of the first elections in November 2011 due to countless violations. The elections on March 25 resulted in Tibilov getting 42.48% of vote and Sanakoyev 24.58%, thus having no winner.
83 polling stations in South Ossetia and one in Moscow were opened. Over 70% of people voted.
About 600-700 people gathered at the central square of Tskhinvali to congratulate Tibilov on victory. The latter promised to build a consolidated state and offered Sanakoyev’s supporters to join him.
International observers called the elections democratic. Colonel Uruzmag Kochiyev, Acting Chief-of-Staff of the South Ossetian Interior Ministry, said that no major violations were registered. Over 40 MPs, public figures and members of NGOs of Russia, France and Abkhazia monitored the polls.
Moris Bonno, a consultant of the European Institute for Democracy and Cooperation, said that he visited some polling stations in Kvayse and Verkhny Ruk and saw no violations. A CEC official Cristina Avlokhova said that Sanakoyev’s complaint on violations was not confirmed.
Vasily Volkov, head of the Russian monitoring mission and Chairman of the Fund for Free Elections, said that no major violations were registered.
Stanislav Vavilov, Deputy Chief of the Russian CEC, said that the elections were legitimate and clear. He added that no violations were registered and webcams prove the fact.
Victor Ozerov, head of the defense committee of the Federation Council of Russia, called the elections fair and transparent.
