Early Results Point To Runoff In Breakaway South Ossetia
By Civil.Ge
(Civil.Ge) — Earlier results of repeat presidential election in breakaway South Ossetia shows Leonid TIbilov, former chief of the state security committee (KGB), has a strong lead but falls short of the majority needed to win outright in the first round.
The breakaway region’s Central Election Commission (CEC) said that Tibilov was leading with 41.9% of votes, followed by South Ossetian leader’s special envoy for human rights issues David Sanakoev with 25.36%
The breakaway region’s long-time envoy to Moscow Dmitry Medoev is third with 23.8% and Communist Party leader Stanislav Kochiev has 5.6%.
CEC said that these results were based on 40% of ballots counted, local news agency, RES, reported shortly before the midnight on Sunday.
If the results stand, it means that Tibilov will face Sanakoev in the second round of election after 15 days.
Voter turnout in Sunday’s repeat presidential election was 67.5%, according to CEC.
Tbilov was head of the breakaway region’s state security committee (KGB) in 1990s and became involved in the work of Joint Control Commission, now defunct negotiating body with the Georgian side, from 1999.
He was chairman of board of directors of a local bank in Tskhinvali in 2007-2009. His most recent official post was a consultant to the South Ossetian leader’s special envy for post-conflict issues.
