Over 70 observers to monitor South Ossetia polls

Tskhinval, May 30 (RIA Novosti) More than 70 observers will monitor Sunday's parliamentary elections in South Ossetia, the former Georgian republic's foreign minister said Saturday.

'At present, there are 72 observers, 10 are from abroad,' Murat Dzhioyev said.

The elections are first in the former Georgian republic since Russia recognised its independence following a five-day war with Georgia, which launched an attack to try and regain control over the region last August.

A total of 88 polling stations have been set up for Sunday's balloting. Four parties are taking part in the elections: the Communist Party, the People's Party, the Unity Party and the Fatherland Party.

Dzhioyev said the observers were from Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Ukraine, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Abkhazia, Nagorny-Karabakh and Russia.