Putin Congratulates Bibilov on Winning Election in South Ossetia

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the speaker of the de facto South Ossetian parliament, Anatoly Bibilov, on winning the presidential elections in Georgia’s breakaway Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.

"I sincerely congratulate you on the convincing victory in the presidential election in the Republic of South Ossetia. I mark with satisfaction a high level of traditionally friendly relations between Russia and South Ossetia," said the message posted on the Kremlin website Monday. Russian state-led news agency Tass reports that Putin expressed confidence that relations between the two countries will continue to develop under the new president. “Russia will continue providing comprehensive assistance to South Ossetia in the settlement of topical issues of social-economic development as well as in ensuring national security,” said Putin, as quoted in Tass.

Bibilov won Sunday’s presidential elections by securing 57.98 percent of the vote, the South Ossetian Central Election Commission reported, citing preliminary figures. President Leonid Tibiliov got 30 percent of the vote and State Security Committee officer Alan Gagloyev got 11.01 percent. Under South Ossetia’s laws, a candidate needs to get 50 percent plus one vote to be elected in the first round.

Russian presidential press officer Dimitry Peskov said the Kremlin considers the presidential elections conducted in South Ossetian democratic. “We state that it was an absolutely politically competitive, democratic election process, fairly transparent. We are even more satisfied with the fact that the main competition was between candidates that are convinced supporters of further close relations between South Ossetia and Russia," Peskov told reporters.

Tass says that Abkhazia also recognizes the elections and a referendum in South Ossetia. "We will support any choice by South Ossetia’s people, any decision that will be legitimate,” Abkhazia’s Vice President Vitaly Gabniya told Tass yesterday.

By Thea Morrison

Photo source: Uznayvse.ru