Alan Gagloev, the new head of separatist Tskhinvali Region, issued a proclamation on 30 May suspending the July 17th vote on unification with Russia until additional talks with Moscow.
One of the grounds for the suspension, according to the order, was the "uncertainty about the legal repercussions of the matter presented to a referendum" by former de-facto leader Anatoly Bibilov. The resolution further said that "a unilateral referendum decision on matters impacting the Russian Federation's fundamental rights and interests is inadmissible." Gagloev also ordered that negotiations with Moscow begin immediately on "the whole spectrum of concerns relating to the Tskhinvali Region's continued integration with Russia."
Tskhinvali leader Alan Gagloev, chair of the legislature Alan Tadtaev, chair of the top court Olesya Kochieva, chair of election administration Emilia Gagieva, acting chief diplomat Dmitry Medoev, and advisor to the "president" Konstantin Kochiev made up the delegation tasked with leading the talks with Moscow.
"Everything would be straightforward if the question was 'do you accept to join the Russian Federation as a subject,'" Gagloev told former South Ossetian parliamentarians. When his predecessor Anatoly Bibilov suggested the referendum in the run-up to the 2022 "presidential election," Gagloev stated that the question's "wording sounded different." The de-facto Tskhinvali leader stated the authorities might "find chances" and potentially borrow the USD 500 thousand needed to organise the vote "if Russia is willing to allow us into its composition."
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