TSKHINVAL, June 09. /ITAR-TASS/. The United Ossetia party has won the parliamentary elections in South Ossetia.

It received the absolute majority of votes in the parliamentary elections in the former Georgian republic on Sunday, June 8, to obtain 20 seats of the 34-seat South Ossetia parliament, the Central Election Commission said. The United Ossetia party receives 43.1% of votes, it said.

There will be four parties in the parliament - United Ossetia, Unity of the People (6 seats), People’s Party (4 seats) and Nykhas (4 seats).

The turnout was 60.1% (21,129 people). Nine political parties took part in the elections. Over 90 international observers from 12 countries monitored the parliamentary elections. The European Union supports Georgia’s territorial integrity and considers the elections illegitimate.

Earlier, South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov told ITAR-TASS, “Whatever the results of the voting might be, whichever forces win seats in the parliament, South Ossetia’s foreign policy course will be the same - strategic partnership with Russia, maximal integration and strengthening our state’s international authority.”

“South Ossetia has been faithful to these principles from the very beginning of its path as an independent state and will follow this course in the future,” he said.

 

Independence of South Ossetia

Russia officially recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another former autonomous region of Georgia in August 2008, following Georgia’s military aggression against the republic's capital Tskhinval. In response, Georgia severed diplomatic relations with Russia.

Most UN member countries, as well as international organizations, including NATO, do not recognize South Ossetia as an independent state.

The United Ossetia republican party led by Anatoly Bibilov was founded in 2012 and stands for the unification of both Ossetias as a constituent entity of the Russian Federation.

The Unity of the People party led by Vladimir Kelekhsayev was created in 2013. Among its priorities are independent economy, modernization of local self-government and the development of small business.

The People’s Party of the Republic of South Ossetia led by Alexander Pliyev was set up in 2003. The party’s major tasks are democracy and a state-based social welfare system.

The Nykhas patriotic party led by Alan Alborov was created in 2013. It stands for South Ossetia’s economic independence.