18 November 2011. PenzaNews. The results of the first round of voting in South Ossetia prove disappointing of Ossetians by omission of republican authorities. This opinion was expressed by the Chief of the Caucasian Studies of Russian Institute for Strategic Studies Yana Amelina in the interview to the news agency PenzaNews.

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According to her, the appearance of Alla Dzhioeva in the second round demonstrates that the population of the country is against external forces trying to influence the election results.

The expert said: “The elections were held, they were democratic, the results of the first round reflected the aspirations of most South Ossetian society. The election results marked the scale of the protest voting. Now the external forces must finally accept the fact that the Ossetians themselves will elect their president”.

She also suggested that residents of South Ossetia were choosing not between the programmes of the candidates during the voting, but between the individuals that indicates the immaturity of Ossetian state.

She expressed: “There are a lot of claims to the authorities and it overcome personal and gender stereotypes. In particular, it refers to the view that there is no place for women in government, especially in a society that retains the features of traditional sociaty. Both candidates doesn’t have positive, implemented and financially grounded program, even though the rough plans for a real restoration of the devastated economy and infrastructure of South Ossetia. There is nothing but populist promises, God forbid them to carry them out”.

According to her, the new president will have to work hard to solve many issues that directly relate to the restoration of the country.

She said: “In my opinion, the South Ossetian elite think not strategically and not tactically, but situational, and often contrary to the opinion of the people. Unfortunately, the elections made discord in the Ossetian society, but it was inevitable under such dissatisfaction with the current government”.

She noted that the results of the second round there could be contradictions between the candidates, which could destabilize the situation.

Yana Amelina said: "If the hero of “five-day war” General Anatoly Barankevich makes a speech in support of Alla Dzhioeva on her meetings with the electorate and she position herself as “the Ossetian but not Moscow choice” she will win with the probability of more than 50%. In this case, attempts to challenge the election results by the authorities or the losing candidate will meet violent opposition, and the destabilization will be possible. I hope, the politicians will have enough exposure to prevent confrontation and to accept a win of an opponent with dignity”.

The inretlocutor noted that the candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting, consider the idea of entering of South Ossetia to Russia only as a “long-term project” despite the fact that it is supported by 85-90% of the population, it is confirmed by numerous sociological polls.

Yana Amelina said: “The aim to the “real independence” for which there is no material and no intellectual ability, can let the republic down. Without the Russian financial investments, it is not viable. People should not live with an illusion, it is better to define clearly the strategy of further development of the RSO, terms of reunification with Russia etc.”.

As to a possible full-fledged membership of South Ossetia in the world community, then, according to Jana Amelina, republic doesn’t have original value in the eyes of foreign states and it is considered solely in the plane of geopolitical confrontation between Russia and the West.

She summed up: “If we assume that the Ossetians will change its historic choice (we speak about Russia), they will be forcibly annexed to Georgia. Ossetian State in any form contraries to Western interests in the region, and this must be clearly understood not to do silly things, following the advices of various political scientists and overseas provocateurs”.

The first round of presidential elections in South Ossetia took place on Sunday, November 13. 24 thousand 404 voters took part in the voting.

According to the Central Electoral Commission of South Ossetia, the votes were as follows: Anatoly Bibilov, Minister of Emergency Situations — 6 066 votes (24.86%), Alla Dzhioeva, ex-Minister of Education — 6 052 votes (24.8%); Vadim Tskhovrebov, the director of the Tskhinvali bakery company — 2 418 votes (9.9%), Alan Cotaev, deputy head of administration of Tskhinvali — 2 358 votes (9.66%), Dmitry Tasoev, leader of the unregistered in South Ossetia Social Democratic Party — 2 318 votes (9.5%); Georgy Kabisov, chairman of the State Committee for Information, Communications and Mass Media of South Ossetia — 1 859 votes (7,62%) Vladimir Kelekhsaev, the deputy of South Ossetian Parliment of IV convocation — 1 623 votes (6.65%), Sergey Bitiev, Chief Bailiff of the Republic — 815 votes (3.34%); Soslan Tedeev, commander of Coll Ministry of Internal Affairs — 275 votes (1.13%), Alan Pliev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Ossetia — 255 votes (1.05%); Jemal Dzhigkaev, former Minister of Health — 231 votes (0.95%). Against all — 134 votes (0.55%).

The second round of presidential elections in the Republic of South Ossetia will be held on November,27.

The election will be declared valid if more than 30% of citizens included in voter lists attend polling stations. The winner of the second round will be determined by simple majority.