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South Ossetia to hold referendum on accession to Russia on July 17 — presidential decree

The decree comes into effect on the day of its signing

Anatoly Bibilov Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Anatoly Bibilov

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

TSKHINVAL, May 13. /TASS/. South Ossetia’s incumbent President Anatoly Bibilov has signed a decree appointing a national referendum on the republic’s accession to Russia on July 17.

"In line with provision 16 of article 50 of the South Ossetia’s constitution, I hereby resolve that South Ossetia’s referendum [on unification with Russia] be appointed on July 17, 2022," according to the presidential decree posted on the website of the South Ossetian president on Friday.

The decree comes into effect on the day of its signing.

According to earlier reports, South Ossetia’s Central Election Commission on Friday approved and referred to the president a package of documents concerning the referendum on joining Russia. Kristina Avlokhova, the Central Election Commission secretary, told TASS earlier that the president is to consider this package within ten days and submit it to the republic’s Supreme Court with a corresponding request to check it against current laws.

Bibilov said on March 30 that South Ossetia would take legal steps to join Russia. Parliament speaker Alan Tadtayev said that a referendum on the accession to Russia would be organized in the near future.

Signature lists in support for the referendum were submitted to the South Ossetian Central Election Commission on May 6.

Meanwhile, South Ossetia’s President Elect Alan Gagloyev said in an interview with TASS that a referendum on his country’s accession to Russia is to be organized when Moscow gives to understand that it is time for that.

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