We do not recognize the constitutional and legal framework of the so-called "presidential elections" held on April 10 in the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia, the German Foreign Ministry said.

"The federal government stands firmly by Georgia in terms of its sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We consider this 'election' and its outcome to be illegitimate, as well as any other decision made by the de facto South Ossetian government that violates Georgia's territorial integrity," the German Foreign Ministry says in its statement.

The so-called presidential elections were held in the occupied Tskhinvali region yesterday. The candidates in the so-called elections were the following: the incumbent de facto president Anatoly Bibilov; Alexander Pliev, "vice-speaker" of the so-called parliament; Alan Gagloev, leader of the Nikhas political party; Gary Muldarov, member of "parliament"; and Dmitry Tasoev, former member of "parliament".