On April 9, an estimated 33,000-40,000 voters will go to the polls to elect the next de facto president of Georgia's breakaway Republic of South Ossetia, which is recognized as an independent state only by Russia and three other countries.

The vote marks the culmination of an acrimonious three-year standoff between incumbent President Leonid Tibilov, who is seeking a second term, and parliament speaker Anatoly Bibilov. The two have long espoused different approaches to the time frame for possible incorporation of the region into the Russian Federation.

Tibilov, 65, a former KGB head, is widely believed to enjoy the backing of Moscow, which effectively bankrolls the region. Russia has channeled billions of rubles into rebuilding infrastructure destroyed during its brief August 2008 war with Georgia. Between 2008 and 2011, much of that money was embezzled, allegedly with the connivance of then-regional leader Eduard Kokoity.

Of the nine potential candidates who declared their intention of registering for the ballot, only three finally succeeded in doing so, the third being KGB officer Alan Gagloyev. Gagloyev, 37, has been alleged to have ulterior motives in seeking office, such as furthering his own business interests.

Construction-company owner Amiran Bagayev and Alan Kozonov, a doctor and member of the minority Unity of the People parliament faction, reportedly failed to submit the required number of signatures in their support.

Kokoity, too, was refused registration as a candidate, on the grounds that he failed to meet the requirement -- which he himself had insisted on imposing -- that candidates must have been resident in South Ossetia for at least nine months of each of the 10 years preceding the ballot.

Kokoity mobilized his supporters to protest that ruling, insisting that the Interior Ministry had deliberately falsified his residency records, but the Supreme Court upheld it, whereupon Kokoity accused Tibilov of falsifying his property declaration and demanded he step down.

Tibilov condemned those protests as a deliberate bid to destabilize the situation and force a postponement of the vote. In a public address on March 30 he appealed to Kokoity, recalling his earlier "services to our people," to channel his energies into "the development of our independent state." Kokoity, however, publicly urged his supporters the same day to vote for Bibilov.

On Joining Russia

The primary bone of contention between Tibilov and Bibilov is whether, when, and how South Ossetia should become part of Russia. Even before the May 2014 parliamentary elections in which it garnered 20 of the 34 mandates, the One Ossetia party of which Bibilov is chairman had called for holding a referendum on the unification within the Russian Federation of South Ossetia and the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania on which it borders. Bibilov has lobbied single-mindedly for such a referendum ever since.

Tibilov, however, although paying lip service to the prospect of eventual unification of the divided Ossetian people, has repeatedly warned of the inevitable negative reaction by the international community should Russia seek to incorporate another disputed territory in the wake of its annexation of Crimea in 2014. Instead, he advocates the dual policy of seeking to strengthen South Ossetia's quasi-independent status while pursuing greater rapprochement with Russia.

That disagreement came to a head in May 2016 when, after a shouting match in parliament, the two men agreed to postpone holding a referendum on the issue until after the 2017 presidential ballot.

Contentious Campaign

During the election campaign, Bibilov has switched to questioning and disparaging Tibilov's claims of having presided over a more effective campaign of reconstruction development than was achieved under Kokoity. In an interview with Kavpolit.com, Bibilov implicitly accused Tibilov of tolerating corruption and cronyism, obstructing judicial reform, and indifference to the problems of the population at large. He alleged that "the corrupt clan system" that he claims has taken root in South Ossetia constitutes the sole obstacle to the unification of South and North Ossetia.

Tibilov's backers retaliated by pointing to major contradictions between Bibilov's statements as parliament speaker and his election campaign rhetoric, while Tibilov himself made the point that in the three years since his rival's party won the parliamentary elections, the legislature has not adopted a single anticorruption law.

Then, in late March, Bibilov thwarted the broadcast of a televised debate between candidates by rejecting the seat in the studio allocated to him.

Tibilov apparently underestimated support for Bibilov even before Kokoity came out in his support. In February and early March, it was reported that budget-sector employees were being pressured to attend a meeting in support of Tibilov's reelection. The state-controlled media have published a series of Soviet-style panegyrics by public figures extolling Tibilov.

In late March, when Tibilov visited the North Ossetian capital, Vladikavkaz, where many of the estimated 10,000 citizens of South Ossetia who fled during or since the fighting of August 2008 still live, Republic of North Ossetia head Vyacheslav Bitarov called on them to vote for Tibilov. It may have been in response to that appeal that Bibilov's campaign staff have arranged to deploy 100 election observers at each of the two polling stations in Vladikavkaz to thwart anticipated multiple voting using fake passports.

Bella Pliyeva, who chairs South Ossetia's Central Election Commission, on April 6 categorically excluded the possibility of falsification at polling stations in North Ossetia, the state news agency RES reported.

Still Undecided

An opinion poll in mid-March quoted by Kavpolit.com registered 24 percent support for Tibiliov, 15 percent for Bibilov, and just 4 percent for Gagloyev, with over 50 percent of respondents as yet undecided whom to vote for.

Russian experts predict that neither will garner the minimum 50 percent of the vote needed for an outright first-round win, and will face off in a runoff vote.

Concurrently with the presidential vote, the South Ossetian electorate will also be required to participate in a referendum on whether the official designation of the Republic of South Ossetia should be modified by adding the wording State of Alania.

That initiative originated with Tibilov, and is intended to serve two purposes. First, to underscore the strong ethnic and historic ties between the region and the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. And second, to counter rival claims from representatives of other North Caucasus republics (primarily the Ingush and the Balkars) to be the location of the kingdom ruled by, and/or direct descendants of, the medieval Alans. According to an opinion poll quoted last week by the state news agency RES, 83 percent of respondents intend to vote in the election and 66 percent will approve the proposed new name for the region.

The Georgian leadership has denounced both the presidential ballot and the referendum as illegal, and the referendum as a Russian-orchestrated provocation.

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL</s>MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Prior to the opening of the polling stations the security was beefed up. At the same time, the republic's border with Georgia will remain closed until Monday.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) said that turnout had been increasing and it was expected to reach over 50 percent.

The election is monitored by over 80 observers.

Tibilov first proposed to rename the republic to South Ossetia-Alania in analogy with the Russian constituent of North Ossetia-Alania, while after numerous discussions in February the president scheduled a referendum on renaming South Ossetia to the Republic of South Ossetia-the State of Alania.

The breakaway republic of South Ossetia and Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s. In August 2008, Georgia launched a military offensive against South Ossetia. Trying to protect local residents, many of whom had Russian citizenship, Russia sent troops to South Ossetia and engaged in a five-day war with Georgia. As a result, Russia managed to expel Georgian troops from the breakaway region and recognized independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Tbilisi does not recognize the republics' independence and considers them part of Georgia.</s>"Of course, not everyone agree with what is happening. We are free and we enhance our independence, sovereignty by ourselves, and if someone's oversea patrons are against elections in South Ossetia, against the renaming of South Ossetia, we will not pay attention to it," Tibilov said at a meeting with a delegation of observers from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Tibilov noted the republic's authorities did the utmost to ensure safety and security during the elections and the referendum.

Presidential elections will be held in South Ossetia on April 9 together with a referendum on renaming the republic to the Republic of South Ossetia-the State of Alania. The candidates for the position of the republic's leader are incumbent South Ossetian President Tibilov, parliamentary speaker Anatoly Bibilov and Alan Gagloyev, State Security officer.

The breakaway republic of South Ossetia and Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s. In August 2008, Georgia launched a military offensive against South Ossetia. Trying to protect local residents, many of whom had Russian citizenship, Russia sent troops to South Ossetia and engaged in a five-day war with Georgia. As a result, Russia managed to expel Georgian troops from the breakaway region and recognized independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Tbilisi does not recognize the republics' independence and considers them part of Georgia.</s>"The European Union does not recognise the framework in which the so-called Presidential elections and the referendum on amending the name of the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia," the spokeswoman said, citing a statement issued on Saturday ahead of the vote.

She added that the European Union reaffirmed its strong commitment to peaceful resolution of the conflict, including the EU co-chairmanship of the Geneva International Discussions and the EU Monitoring Mission.

Earlier in the day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the election in South Ossetia "was an absolutely politically competitive democratic electoral process." Head of the Russian State Duma’s delegation of observers Nikolay Govorin on Sunday confirmed that the election and referendum met the national legislation of South Ossetia, as well as the "universally recognized democratic principles and norms of organization and conduct of free, fair elections."

The breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s. In August 2008, Georgia launched a military offensive against South Ossetia. Trying to protect local residents, many of whom held Russian citizenship, Russia sent troops to South Ossetia and engaged in a five-day war with Georgia. As a result, Russia managed to expel Georgian troops from the region and recognized independence of both Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Tbilisi does not recognize the republics' independence and considers them part of Georgia.</s>TSKHINVALI (South Ossetia), (Sputnik) — Nearly 80 percent of South Ossetian voters back the name-change of the partially recognized state to "Alania," the head of South Ossetia's central election commission told reporters Monday.

"On the referendum, 78 percent voted in favor, 20 percent against," Bella Plieva said, underscoring that these are preliminary results.

Plieva said final results would be available within five days.

The breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s. In August 2008, Georgia launched a military offensive against South Ossetia. Trying to protect local residents, many of whom had Russian citizenship, Russia sent troops to South Ossetia and engaged in a five-day war with Georgia. As a result, Russia managed to expel Georgian troops from the breakaway region and recognized independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Tbilisi does not recognize the republics' independence and considers them part of Georgia.</s>South Ossetia’s election officials say Anatoly Bibilov, the speaker of the breakaway Georgian region's parliament, has taken the lead in a presidential election that was rejected by Tbilisi and condemned as “illegitimate” by the United States.

The election commission on April 10 said Bibilov had 48.7 percent with 35 percent of votes counted, Russian state-run TASS news agency reported. A candidate needs 50 percent to avoid a runoff on April 23. Turnout was reported at 81 percent.

TASS quoted Bibilov as claiming he had won 54.9 percent of the vote, avoiding the runoff.

The news agency said 78 percent of voters supported a referendum to change the region’s name to "Republic of South Ossetia - State of Alania," a move also condemned by Georgia and the United States.

Russia recognized South Ossetia, along with another breakaway Georgian region, Abkhazia, as independent countries after fighting a brief war against Georgia in 2008.

It has kept thousands of troops in the regions, deployments NATO says violate the EU-brokered deal that ended the fighting.

The United States and all but a handful of countries consider South Ossetia and Abkhazia to be parts of Georgia.

Mark C. Toner, acting spokesman for the U.S. State Department, on April 7 said the United States did not accept the "illegitimate elections” in South Ossetia and previous ones held in Abkhazia on March 12 and March 26.

"The United States fully supports the territorial integrity of Georgia and its sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders,” he added. “Our position on Abkhazia and South Ossetia is clear and consistent. These regions are integral parts of Georgia."

The Georgian Foreign Ministry on April 9 said it “condemns the so-called presidential election and referendum taking place on the grounds of the occupied Tskhinvali region.”

It said the referendum question to change the name of the region was meant to prepare the ground of an illegal annexation by Russia.

With reporting by TASS and Interfax</s>The occupied region of South Ossetia held a referendum Sunday for a new president and a name change — one some see as a threat to bring the region closer to Russian control.

South Ossetia declared itself independent in 1992. That independence is not recognized by most countries or international organizations in the world. It is, however, recognized by Russia. South Ossetia was the site of the Aug. 2008 war between Russia and Georgia (it was after this war that Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia, as well as that of Georgia’s other breakaway region, Abkhazia). In 2015, Russia signed a border agreement with South Ossetia. Russia financially backs South Ossetia. Economic hardships in recent years have not changed that. Russia keeps troops in South Ossetia.

If one were to recognize the referendum results — which NATO, the U.S. State Department, the European Union, and the government of Georgia do not — one would say that they gave South Ossetia a new president, Anatoly Bibilov. So, too, would one say that South Ossetia has a new name: South Ossetia – the State of Alania.

That name change is significant because it mirrors that of North Ossetia – the State of Alania, which is a federal subject of Russia. The referendum stopped short of offering voters the mostly internationally unrecognized opportunity to reunify Ossetia, thereby bringing South Ossetia under (Russia would say) Russian control. But the name change brings the breakaway region closer to that point.

That’s a reality that doesn’t go unacknowledged by Georgians. “This is a clear provocation by Russia that seeks to undermine Georgia’s efforts at reconciliation and confidence-building between communities divided by the occupation lines,” David Bakradze, Georgia’s ambassador to the United States, told Foreign Policy. “This illegal attempt to rename one of Georgia’s historic regions to a name similar to one of the subjects of the Russian Federation is aimed at laying the groundwork for further steps towards illegal annexation.”

Even if the threat of annexation remains just a threat, the referendum is a promise to, at the very least, continue the status quo, one in which Russia recognizes — and actively supports the existence of — the independence of part of a country it used to rule. “The ongoing occupation of 20 percent of Georgia’s territory remains the greatest existential challenge that we face,” Bakradze said. And the referendum and name change and new “president” are all reminders that that challenge isn’t going away.

Or, to put it another way: Given that it’s been almost a decade since Russia’s war with Georgia, perhaps the case of South Ossetia serves as a reminder that, when it comes to what it considers to be its sphere of influence, Russia does not let go.

Update: This piece originally referred to South Ossetia as a “breakaway region.” It has been changed to “occupied region” in order to more fully reflect international law.</s>Leonid Tibilov, the leader of Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, casts his ballot with his grandson during presidential elections in Tskhinvali in Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia, Sunday, April 9, 2017. Voters in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia are electing a president and deciding on a referendum on whether to add the word Alania to the region's name, which critics say would be a step toward incorporating South Ossetia into Russia. (AP Photo/Anton Podgaiko)</s>Officials in Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region say the speaker of the de facto parliament, Anatoly Bibilov, has won a presidential election condemned by Tbilisi and the West as illegitimate.

The head of the separatist government's election commission, Bella Pliyeva, said on April 10 that with about 90 percent of the ballots counted, Bibilov had around 58 percent of the vote -- enough to avoid a second-round runoff.

Incumbent leader Leonid Tibilov had 30 percent and regional KGB security service officer Alan Gagloyev had 11 percent, Pliyeva said.

Pliyeva added that some 78 percent of voters supported a proposal to change the region's name from the Republic of South Ossetia to the Republic of South Ossetia-Alania.

As with past ballots in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another Russia-backed breakaway region, the United States, the European Union, and Georgia called the April 9 votes illegitimate and said they would not recognize the results.

In a statement on April 9, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said the name-change referendum in the region “aims at laying the ground for its illegal annexation” by Russia.

Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent countries after fighting a brief war against Georgia in 2008, and maintains thousands of troops in both regions.

With reporting by civil.ge, Interfax, and TASS</s>The United States has condemned moves by authorities in breakaway regions of Georgia to hold votes and elections that it says are "illegitimate."

 

 U.S. State Department acting spokesman Mark Toner on April 7 singled out for condemnation a referendum scheduled for April 9 on changing the name of South Ossetia to the Republic of South Ossetia-Alania.

 

 He also said the United States did not recognize the results of the "illegitimate elections conducted in Abkhazia on March 12 and March 26 or the election planned for April 9 in South Ossetia."

 

 "These illegitimate elections and referenda are being conducted in Georgian territory without the consent of the government of Georgia," Toner said in a statement.

"The United States fully supports the territorial integrity of Georgia and its sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders," he added. "Our position on Abkhazia and South Ossetia is clear and consistent. These regions are integral parts of Georgia."

 

 Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent countries after fighting a brief war against Georgia in 2008.
Voters in the breakaway state of South Ossetia go to the polls for an election and a referendum. The referendum will ask voters if the country's official name should be changed to "Republic of South Ossetia–the State of Alania".