Dzhioyeva Threatens More Protests In South Ossetia

South Ossetian opposition leader Alla Dzhioyeva

South Ossetian opposition leader Alla Dzhioyeva says that a deal with former de facto President Eduard Kokoity to end protests has been violated and that she now intends to return with her supporters to demonstrate in the central square of the capital, Tskhinvali.

Dzhioyeva and Kokoity reached a deal on December 9, part of which called for Kokoity to step down from office.

Kokoity did so, but Dzhioyeva said just prior to departing from office the president "created a Constitutional Court... and made dozens of appointments in nine minutes."

Dzhioyeva claims that this violates the terms of her agreement with Kokoity.

The situation in the breakaway Georgian region has been tense since late last month when South Ossetia held presidential elections in which preliminary results showed Dzhioyeva was defeating her Kremlin-backed opponent Anatoly Bibilov.

The Supreme Court ruled the election invalid and the parliament disqualified Dzhioyeva, sparking protests from Dzhioyeva's supporters.

Kokoity and Dzhioyeva's deal on December 9 aimed to end the growing political standoff in South Ossetia.

Dzhioyeva had initially threatened to proceed with her presidential "inauguration" despite her disqualification.

She later backed down, however, after a decision was taken to allow her to stand in a new presidential election scheduled for March 25, 2012, reversing a Supreme Court ruling to prevent her running again.

Kokoity handed over his duties to Prime Minister Vadim Brovtsev on December 10 and also, as part of the agreement with Dzhioyeva, recommended that parliament dismiss Prosecutor-General Taimuraz Khugaev and Supreme Court chairman Atamaz Bichenov.

Dzhioyeva says the creation of the Constitutional Court and the last-minute appointments were done there to carry out Kokoity's policies and called on her supporters to reassemble on December 11 if authorities do not strictly follow the agreement.
South Ossetia's de facto President Eduard Kokoity has stepped down from office and handed over the reins to Prime Minister Vadim Brovtsev, who will perform the president's duties until a rerun of presidential elections on March 25, 2012.

Kokoity also signed a recommendation to parliament to dismiss Prosecutor-General Taimuraz Khugaev and Supreme Court chairman Atamaz Bichenov, all part of an agreement Kokoity reached on December 9 with opposition leader Alla Dzhioyeva.

The situation in the breakaway Georgian region has been tense since late last month when South Ossetia held presidential elections in which preliminary results showed Dzhioyeva was defeating her Kremlin-backed opponent Anatoly Bibilov.

The Supreme Court ruled the election invalid and the parliament disqualified Dzhioyeva, sparking protests from Dzhioyeva's supporters. Kokoity and Dzhioyeva's deal on December 9 aimed to end the growing political standoff in South Ossetia.

Dzhioyeva had initially threatened to proceed with her presidential "inauguration" despite her disqualification.

She later backed down, however, after an agreement was made to allow her to stand for the presidency in March, reversing the Supreme Court's decision to prevent her running again.

compiled from agency reports