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South Ossetia likely to have runoff presidential election

Under South Ossetia’s laws, to win the first round of polls, a candidate has to score 50% plus one vote

TSKHINVAL, April 9. /TASS/. South Ossetia is likely to have a runoff presidential poll as neither of the candidates is winning more than 50% of votes necessary to win the presidential elections in the first round, a source in the South Ossetian authorities told TASS on Sunday.

"After counting the minimal percentage of votes, we can say that South Ossetia will have a runoff presidential election. According to data received from several polling stations, [Leonid’ Tibilov and [Anatoly] Bibilov will vie for presidency in the second round. They are head-to-head but neither of them is overcoming a 50-percent threshold," the source said.

However, these are data "from villages" whereas vote counting in the capital city of Tskhinval is not yet over, the source added.

"Tibilov is winning at some polling stations, Bibilov - at others. So far, it is impossible to say who is the leader," he said.

Under South Ossetia’s laws, to win the first round of polls, a candidate has to score 50% plus one vote.

Three candidates - incumbent President Leonid Tibiliov, parliament speaker and the leader of the United Ossetia party Anatoly Bibilov and State Security Committee officer Alan Gagloyev - are vying for the presidential office.

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