Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called on the South Ossetian authorities and opposition on Monday to find a way to resolve the current political crisis through internal dialogue.
“They must agree on how to govern their country, which we have recognized as a subject of international law, on their own,” Medvedev said at a meting with his supporters in Moscow. “Both sides must take responsible decisions without pointing at Moscow.”
“There are a small number of participants representing various clans [in S. Ossetia], which quarrel from time to time,” he said. “It is bad that these quarrels affect the interests of the republic, which we have always supported and will continue to do so.”
The situation heated up in South Ossetia after November 27 runoff presidential elections. Preliminary results showed that opposition leader Dzhioyeva, who was also the former education minister, won the runoff with Kremlin-backed rival Anatoly Bibilov. But the republic’s Supreme Court on Tuesday canceled the outcome of the elections, citing violations.
Dzhioyeva has declared herself president despite the court’s rule and her supporters have been rallying on the central square of the capital Tskhinvali ever since.
They have called on the country’s incumbent leader Eduard Kokoity to resign and scheduled Dzhioyeva’s inauguration for December 10.