South Ossetia’s strongman leader tightened his grip on the breakaway Georgian region yesterday after a loyal party emerged as the clear winner of legislative elections.
Eduard Kokoity, a former wrestling champion accused by his critics of muzzling opponents and stealing aid money sent from Russia, could now use a parliamentary majority to allow himself to stand for another term in office.
Nine months after Russia and Georgia fought a war over the status of South Ossetia, the mountainous Caucasus region remains largely in ruins and has only been recognized as independent by Moscow and Nicaragua.
Final results issued by the election commission after Sunday’s elections said Yedinstvo (Unity) — the party most vocally supportive of Kokoity — was the clear winner after polling 46.36 percent.
The People’s Party, also largely uncritical of Kokoity, won 22.53 percent while the Communists scored 22.25 percent.
“We will work closely together to follow the path of independence that the republic has chosen,” Kokoity said as the results were announced.
However none of the four parties competing for the 34 seats in the parliament could be described as overtly critical of the leader after the central election commission barred the two other parties.
The name of Unity resembles Russia’s ruling party United Russia and it even used pictures of United Russia party leader Boris Gryzlov on its campaign literature.
“South Ossetia has gone on the United Russia path. A decisive role [in Unity’s victory] was played by their active use of the methods of United Russia,” Russia’s Kommersant daily said.
The sidelined opposition has accused Kokoity of seeking a loyal parliament to push through an amendment allowing him to run again for office when his second term lapses in 2011.
Kokoity said it was too early to say whether he would run again to lead the region of 50,000 people although he did not rule out that possibility.
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