the group headed by the former defence minister and then prime minister of secessionist government dmitri sanakoev organized the so-called alternative presidential election, on november 12, 2006 – parallel to those held by the secessionist authorities in tskhinvali. high voter turnout was reported by the alternative electoral commission, which estimated over 42,000 voters from both ossetian (java district and tskhinvali) and georgian (eredvi, tamarasheni, etc.) communities of south ossetia and sanakoev reportedly received 96% of the votes. another referendum was organised shortly after asking for the start of negotiations with georgia on a federal arrangement for south ossetia received 94% support. however the salvation union of south ossetia turned down a request from a georgian ngo, “multinational georgia”, to monitor it and the released results were very likely to be inflated.