Kokoity: South Ossetia will not become part of Russia

Former president of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity intends to run for presidency for the third time, Taira Gagloyeva, a member of the People’s Party, has written in Facebook after Kokoity’s meeting with the party activists.

“I want to make it public that I will not support any of the presidential contenders, as I will run myself. I am with the people of South Ossetia,” Kokoity reportedly said at the meeting.

As Gagloyeva writes, Kokoity’s first words were that he was thankful to the party. “You are a parliamentary part that promotes interests of the Ossetian people, but not a single person, the parliamentary chair. I want to thank you also for your support of the current president,” he said.

“We must think of the country’s future. The key thing is the independence of South Ossetia. It is not a hot potato in someone’s hands. It is a brilliant that we must value. For some unknown reasons, some people want to get rid of the independence that all our people won,” Kokoity is quoted as saying.

According to him, there is no need in a referendum to join Russia. “Thanks to our people, courage and restraint, we have proved by our blood that we are with Russia; it has no sense to hold any referenda on it now. Is the blood not enough?” he asked.

To remind, now major presidential contenders are Leonid Tibilov, the current president, and Anatoly Bibilov, the chair of the parliament. It is under question if Kokoity manages to undergo registration procedures at the Election Committee and become the third contender, as he might not overcome the local residence requirement.

According to the most recent amendments to the Ossetian legislation, a presidential candidate must live in the territory of the republic for ten years before he is registered as a candidate.

After his resignation in 2011, Kokoity was often absent in South Ossetia. Now, the Central Election Committee is to calculate how much time he spent in the republic. Analysts say that if Kokoity does not become the candidate, he will support one of the candidates.