In the second round of presidential elections in South Ossetia, after 67 percent of the votes counted, the former head of the republic's KGB Leonid Tibilov leads with 55,8 percent.
His competitor, human rights commissioner David Sanakojev, has 41,3 percent.
"We will improve relations with Russia in all areas. Our goal is to realize the old dream of the reunification of South and North Ossetia," Tibilov told reporters at a polling station in the capital Tskhinvali.
South Ossetia was officially recognized by Moscow as an independent republic, after a short war between Russia and Georgia in 2008.
The political upheaval occurred in November last year, when the election victory of opposition candidate Ala Džiojeva was annulled.
The Supreme Court annulled her election victory, as it was stated at the time, due to numerous irregularities, and scheduled new presidential elections for March 25 of this year, when the first round was held.
In the first round, the former head of the local KGB security service, Leonid Tibilov, won 42,5 percent of the vote, and human rights commissioner David Sanakoyev won 24 percent.
Around 35.000 registered voters had the opportunity to vote at 84 polling stations today.
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