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SOssetia people want resignation of incumbent authorities

South Ossetia's outgoing president Eduard Kokoity refused to step down

TSKHINVAL, December 8 (Itar-Tass) — Former speaker of the South Ossetia parliament, leader of the Communist Party Stanislav Kochiyev supported the statement by deputy speaker Mira Tskhovrebova urging incumbent president Eduard Kokoity to resign and hand over the helm in accordance with the Constitution.

"Other deputies and I supported her position, her statement for a number of reasons. We insist that the resignation of the president and his associates is necessary for defusing the situation," Kochiyev said, adding that it is these people that really influence the situation, not the cosmetic resignations the president initiated.

Eight lawmakers supported Tskhovrebova's bid made on December 6.

On Wednesday, Eduard Kokoity signed decrees relieving of their duties the minister of education, the public health minister, the chairman of the committee for telecom and mass communications and heads of a number of the republic's municipalities.

Meanwhile, the Opposition representatives began a meeting in the republic's capital with the envoys of the Russian president.

On Wednesday, former presidential candidate Alla Dzhioyeva, said after a meeting with Sergei Vinokurov, head of the department for regional and cultural ties with foreign states under the Russian president: "We were listening and we were heard. We brought forward several sober proposals and are hoping to get an answer to them tomorrow."

South Ossetia's outgoing president Eduard Kokoity refused to step down. "My stepping down is out of the question until we've put an end to the "orange revolution," he said.

"My term is expiring as it is. But I'm going to hand over my powers legally. The people protesting in the square are interfering with my doing it," Kokoity said.

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