TSKHINVAL, May 27. /TASS/. The decision to postpone the referendum on South Ossetia’s possible accession to Russia to 2017 is due not only to the current situation in the republic but also to the importance of carefully preparing the plebiscite, local expert Yury Vazagov has told TASS.
"The issue of postponing the referendum in South Ossetia should be considered not only from the point of view of the effect of this decision on the current situation in the republic. We are also talking about other aspects of the current situation," Vazagov said. "Let’s start with the fact that after the initiative to hold the referendum was voiced, no corresponding preparation events follow - neither purely organizational nor informational. Moreover, nuances of the internal political situation had their effect as well. Meanwhile, holding a plebiscite on such an important matter required scrupulous preparations with consideration of all aspects," he explained.
The leadership of South Ossetia has made a decision to postpone till 2017 a referendum on whether the republic should apply for accession to Russia, as follows from a joint statement by President Leonid Tibilov and parliamentary speaker Anatoly Bibilov, made after a meeting of the Political Council under the head of state.
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"Guided by the long-term interests of the South Ossetian people and striving for the stability of the socio-political situation in the republic we support the Political Council in its decision to the effect it will be expedient to call a referendum on South Ossetia’s application for joining the Russian Federation in 2017, after the presidential election," the statement runs.
Earlier, calls for postponing the referendum came from representatives of the public, government members, presidential staff officials, legislators, heads of districts, South Ossetia’s Security Council, the state security committee and other law enforcement structures.
According to earlier reports the referendum might have been called this year.