South Ossetian presidential election Alla Dzhioyeva, who claims to have won Sunday's runoff vote, has called on her supporters rallying in the main square of Tskhinvali to go home.
“Constructive talks have begun. Let’s go home, sleep, and discuss the situation tomorrow,” Dzhioyeva told a crowd of between 700 and 1,000 people who gathered outside the republic’s government headquarters to support the self-proclaimed president.
Soldiers had earlied fired warning shots in the air.
The former Georgian republic of South Ossetia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday declared null and void the outcome of the November 27 runoff presidential elections because of violations. However Dzhioyeva declared herself president of the breakaway republic in defiance of a court ruling and was later barred from running in a second election slated for March 25.
On Wednesday, Dzhioyeva urged outgoing President Eduard Kokoity to cancel the Supreme Court’s decision. She pledged to stop mass protests and ensure security for Kokoity in exchange.
Kokoity said he will “make no concessions and will not yield to pressure.” He also said that Dzhioyeva's attempt to declare herself president and create a government council was illegal and violated South Ossetia's laws.
Dzhioyeva then filed an appeal against the Supreme Court’s ruling.
She also met with Russian diplomats in Tskhinvali and urged Russia to recognize the results of the elections. The Russian Foreign Ministry in response recognized the the annulment of the polls, calling on all South Ossetian political forces to respect the Supreme Court’s decision. The ministry also said that Russia would not interfere into South Ossetia’s domestic affairs.
