Over 55 civil society organizations of the Georgian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, issued a statement on April 18, saying that “the so called presidential elections and referendum” in Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia on April 9 “has nothing to do with democratic processes,” considering that “tens of thousands are not allowed to return to their homes.”

The civil society organizations stressed that the attempt to rename the territory into the “the Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania,” is alarming, since it “might aim at future annexation of [Georgia’s] territories by the Russian Federation.”

The organizations also welcomed the international assessments on Tskhinvali polls and called on the parties “to intensify efforts towards peaceful conflict resolution and safe return of the internally displaced persons to their homes.”

80% of voters in Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia cast ballots in support of renaming the region into “the Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania.”

Simultaneously with the referendum, Tskhinvali also held polls for the region’s leadership.

The South Ossetia polls have been denounced as illegitimate by Tbilisi and the international community, including NATO, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, the United States, the European Union, Japan, Poland and Ukraine. Concerns over the polls have been voiced in the international organizations as well, including at the UN Human Rights Council and the United Nations Security Council.