TSKHINVAL, May 31 (RIA Novosti) - The South...

As of 2:00 p.m. Moscow time (10:00 a.m. GMT), 59.88% of registered voters had come to the polls, crossing the electoral threshold of 50% plus one vote, said Bella Pliyeva, chairwoman of the central election commission.

The elections are the first in South Ossetia since Russia recognized its independence, following a five-day war with Georgia who launched an attack to try and regain control over the region in August.

Four parties are taking part in the elections for the 34-seat parliament: the ruling Unity party, the Communist Party, the People"s Party and the opposition Fatherland Party.

More than 70 observers from Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Abkhazia, Nagorny-Karabakh and Russia are monitoring Sunday"s poll.