South Ossetia entered on Saturday into the so-called ‘day of silence,’ prior to March 25 presidential elections, when any form of election propaganda is prohibited.
The breakaway Georgian republic, which has been recognized as an independent state by Russia and few other countries, opted to hold new elections after the republic's Supreme Court annulled the November 27 polls’ voting results, citing violations.
The ensuing mass opposition protests forced the then president, Eduard Kokoity to resign. He appointed Vadim Brovtsev as South Ossetian acting head.
The post of president in the upcoming elections is being contested by the following candidates: Dmitry Medoyev, the South Ossetian ambassador to Russia; David Sanakoyev, the presidential human rights ombudsman; Leonid Tibilov, former chair of the State Security Committee; and Communist leader Stanislav Kochiyev.
South Ossetian opposition leader Alla Dzhioyeva, who won the annulled presidential runoff last year, has refused to recognize new presidential elections calling them “illegitimate.”
Candidates need to garner 50% plus one of the votes to win the elections.
The official results of the polls will be announced on March 30.
Several dozen international observers will monitor the elections.
