TBILISI, DFWatch – South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity today resigned as part of a deal with the opposition which also allows its leader to run in the breakaway republic’s rescheduled election in March.

Eduard Kokoity, the de facto president of Georgia’s breakaway republic South Ossetia, today announced his resignation . Acting president will be the current Prime Minister, Vadim Brovtsev until a rescheduled election on March 25.

The late night deal seems to have avoided a clash as opposition leader Alla Dzhioyeva called off her unofficial inauguration planned for today, Saturday.

Kokoity’s departure comes as a result of consultations with the region’s opposition leader Alla Dzhioyeva as way to release some of the tension after the election result was annulled. Dzhioyeva is claiming victory in the election and started mobilizing supporters in front of the so-called government building ten days ago. When Kokoity’s resignation has been confirmed, they are to end their demonstration.

Another important development is that Dzhioyeva will be allowed to take part in the new election in March. Shortly after annulling the results of the elections, the Supreme Court prohibited Dzhioyeva from participating in the elections in 2012 because of violations. But last night’s deal entitles her to participate.

Russian news agency Ria Novosti reports that Dzhioyeva has not yet decided whether she will want to participate. She said she is ready to refuse to participate in future elections if there appears a new presidential candidate “political heavyweight”.

Kokoity’s official term expires on December 12 of this year, but he was planning to keep on until March. He was elected leader in 2001 and reelected in 2006.

November 27 the Tskhinvali region held a run-off in the so-called presidential elections. Alla Dzhioyeva competed against Kremlin favorite Anatoly Bibilov and there were indications that she was heading towards a decisive victory. But on November 30 the so-called Supreme Court annulled the election results and scheduled new elections for March 25.

Dzhioyeva supporters soon got demonstrations going on Tskhinvali’s main square, demanding that the election results be recognized and that government powers were transferred to her. Later, consultations began between her and South Ossetian officials. Supporters of the opposition candidate were vying to hold an inauguration ceremony for Dzhioyeva today Saturday if a compromise was not achieved.

As part of the agreement signed by Kokoity and Dzhioyeva on Friday several other officials will also resign: Attorney General Taimuraz Khugaev, his deputy, Eldar Kokoev and the Supreme Court chairman Atsamaz Bilchenova, Russian media reports.