”The so-called ”presidential elections” that will take place on 25th March 2012 in the occupied Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia, cannot be recognised as legitimate. These elections are illegitimate under international law and no legal or constitutional basis for these elections exist. Moreover, the holding of so-called elections lacks legitimacy from human rights and humanitarian perspectives as well, since two thirds of the local population is forcefully expelled from their homes as a result of ethnic cleansing”, declared Congress members Ian Micallef (Malta, EPP/CD) and Helena Pihlajasaari (Finland, SOC) in the margins of the 22nd Congress Session in Strasbourg. The two country Rapporteurs reiterated that the right to a safe, dignified and voluntary return for the refugees and displaced persons should be recognised by all the actors in the conflict.