Bibilov: South Ossetia to Hold Presidential Election Runoff

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The head of the breakaway republic of South Ossetia, Anatoly Bibilov, says there will be a second round of the presidential election in the country.

"We understand that there will be a second round," Bibilov said at a press conference on Sunday night, adding that he is "very pleased to enter the second round with Alan Gagloev."

A presidential election was held in South Ossetia on Sunday with five candidates running for the office: the current head of the breakaway republic, Anatoly Bibilov; the leader of the Nykhas opposition party Alan Gagloev; former lawmaker Dmitry Tasoev; lawmaker Garry Muldarov; and deputy parliament speaker Alexander Pliev.

A candidate needed over half of the votes to win in the first round.

The turnout in the Sunday presidential election surpassed 82 percent, South Ossetia’s election commission said. Russian observers told Sputnik they did not register any violations during the voting.

Last week, Bibilov said that the republic's strategic goal is to join Russia. The head of the information and analytical directorate of South Ossetia's presidential administration, Yuri Vazagov, told Sputnik on Saturday that preparations for a referendum on South Ossetia's accession to Russia may be completed in May or June.

South Ossetia, along with another breakaway region, Abkhazia, declared independence from Georgia in August 2008 following an offensive of the Georgian army.

Russia has backed South Ossetia and Abkhazia, while Georgia never recognized their independence and continues to consider them an occupied part of its own territory. Countries that have recognized the self-proclaimed republics include Nauru, Nicaragua, Syria, Venezuela, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.