2nd Round vote planned for S Ossetia presidential elections

Ex-chair of State Defense Committee of South Ossetia Leonid Tibilov is leading the regions presidential elections with 42.48 percent of the vote, falling short of the 50% cut off for a first round win, human rights ombudsmen David Sanakoyev won 24.58 percent, said Central Electoral Commission Chief Bella Plieva on Monday adding that 100 percent of the ballots have been counted. The second round of the election is scheduled for April 8. To win in the first round a candidate should get more than 50 percent of votes. South Ossetian presidential elections were held in November, 2011, which saw opposition leader Alla Dzhioyeva beat Kremlin-backed Anatoly Bibilov. However, the results of that poll were anulled and Dzhioyeva was accused of violations and banned from rejoining the race in March. Dzhioyeva headed a month of protests and claimed the presidency of the republic, calling for her inauguration on February 10. The ceremonay was thwarted, however, by a police raid, during which her staff said her blood pressure raised to dangerous levels, upon which she was sent to a hospital. She remained hospitalized for for six weeks and was released only several days ago. She has remained in police custody since. Alla Dzhioyeva has refused to recognize the new presidential elections calling them “illegitimate.”