Early presidential elections were held in South Ossetia. The Central Election Commission declared Marat Kambolov, a Russian citizen who worked in the Russian government, the winner

Early presidential elections were held in South Ossetia. The Central Election Commission declared Marat Kambolov, a Russian citizen who worked in the Russian government, the winner

Marat Kambolov, who holds the posts of head of government and acting president, is leading in the early presidential election in partially recognized South Ossetia. After 99% of precinct protocols were processed, Kambolov had 85.12%. According to the Central Election Commission, turnout was 73.2% — more than 32,000 voters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has already congratulated Kambolov on his victory.

Early elections in South Ossetia were announced after Alan Gagloev, the president of the partially recognized republic, announced his resignation on June 23. He became an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Shortly before his resignation, Gagloev nominated Marat Kambolov — a Russian citizen who had worked in the Russian government and held leadership posts at Mikhail Kovalchuk’s National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute” — for the post of South Ossetia’s head of government.

Kambolov was able to take the post of head of government thanks to a treaty concluded in May between Russia and South Ossetia that allows Russian citizens to hold government posts in the partially recognized republic, and vice versa.

Read about what Kambolov’s appointment means here.

@meduzalive

Meduza

South Ossetia is now headed by former Kurchatov Institute director and Russian citizen Marat Kambolov

Alan Gagloev, the president of partially recognized South Ossetia, resigned on June 23. He announced that he had accepted an offer to become an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The decree appointing him to the post has already been published.