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Advertising stopped on “calm day” in SOssetia before presidential runoff

In the meantime, the South Ossetian capital – Tskhinval – and other towns and villages are plastered with advertising posters everywhere

TSKHINVAL, April 7 (Itar-Tass) — “The calm day” has set in in South Ossetia before the presidential runoff: any advertising is banned this Saturday, Itar-Tass learnt at the republican Central Election Commission.

The ban covers all TV and radio stations, all the press, plastering leaflets and hanging streamers as well as meetings of candidates with voters.

In the meantime, the South Ossetian capital – Tskhinval – and other towns and villages are plastered with advertising posters everywhere. The thing is that under South Ossetian legislation advertising posters and streamers must be taken away only on grounds close to polling stations and inside their premises.

The headquarters of the two candidates – former head of the South Ossetian KGB Leonid Tibilov and human rights commissioner David Sanakoyev who collected in the first round (March 25) 42.48 and 24.58 percent of the vote, respectively – are bracing for the decisive day – this Sunday.

Their supporters will be present at all 83 polling stations. Incidentally, each ballot paper, put into the ballot-box without the signature of observers from the two candidates, will be regarded as invalid.

According to the CEC, the presidential candidates conducted their election advertising without violations of operating legislation. Tibilov said in one of his latest interviews before the elections that given he is elected the president, “I shall work out, above all, a programme for social and economic development of the republic, taking into account all present realities”.

As for the foreign policy is concerned, he deems it necessary ”to work on presenting South Ossetia in the international arena in the sphere of culture, sport and human relations as a whole”.

Candidate Sanakoyev noted that while forming a new team, “professionalism and loyalty to the Homeland will be the main criterion for job seekers”. “It’s inexpedient to turn down services of skilled personnel only due to the fact that they allegedly work in a government of some or other president.

“Sure, we shall invite foreign specialists from Russia and the EU, if need be, but only in the status of consultants for the earliest introduction of existing systems and practices as well as for teaching and raising skills of our own personnel,” he specified.

The monitoring of the elections will be made by over 40 observers from Russia: representatives from the State Duma, the Federation Council, the CEC and the Free Elections Fund. All of them were already at the first round of elections on March 25 and praised transparency and democracy of the election process in South Ossetia.