Блиц-опрос

Flash poll: August 26 South Ossetia will be celebrating the fourth anniversary of Russia's recognition of the independence of the Republic. The status of a recognized state has brought new opportunities for economic development of South Ossetia. To what extent, in your opinion, they have been implemented in the past four years?

Gennady Kokoev MP RSO:

First of all, it is obvious the positive role of recognizing the independence of South Ossetia. It is minimized the foreign threat - this is the most important factor, which gives hope for the future growth of our Republic. In addition, a number of trade and economic agreements have been signed between South Ossetia and Russia.

Flash-poll: July 3, 2012 The UN General Assembly approved a draft resolution "Situation with the Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and Tskhinval district / South Ossetia, Georgia", put to the vote by Georgia. How do you evaluate the decision of the General Assembly?

Zita Besaeva, head of the legal department of the Parliament of South Ossetia:
Such an initiative on the part of Georgia is premature. Firstly, because Georgia should sign an agreement that it will not resume hostilities against South Ossetia.

The twentieth round of international discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia has finished in Geneva.

How do you assess the outcome of the Geneva discussions?

Alexander Skakov, Candidate of History, coordinator of the Working Group of the Caucasus and Central Asia section under the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Federation:

The attitude to the Geneva process is double. On the one hand any debate - is good and it should be maintained. To expect some breakthrough, even minimal success in these negotiations is unreal; it is a purely technical site, because none of the parties is ready for compromise.

Flash-poll: May 29, will be the 20 years anniversary of the Act of Independence of South Ossetia.

How successful, in your opinion, the Republic is building its statehood and what else should be done to strengthen it?

Alexander Skakov, Candidate of History, coordinator of the Working Group of the Caucasus and Central Asia department under the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Federation:

I think that South Ossetia has done much to strengthen its sovereignty as an independent country. And this is primarily due to the will of the Ossetian people. But the problems still exist. South Ossetia, in contrast to Abkhazia, has no outlet to the sea, and of course, all the contacts of South Ossetia with the outside world go through Russia. There is another nuance in this fact - a great influence of Russia on South Ossetia. And this influence has both the positive effects that were displayed in the events of 08.08.08, as well as the negative ones, displayed in the events connected with the presidential election. So the future of South Ossetia depends much on Russia's position to be consistent, accurate, objective, and not related to any personal predilections. In principle, South Ossetia has everything to move forward toward the formation of normal society: there are good people who are willing and able to work, literate intellectuals, beautiful nature. The question is, to make it all ok to use. In short, South Ossetia has all chances for further success.

Flash-Poll: What, in your opinion is the most important event of the outgoing week?

Boris Chochiev, Plenipotentiary of the President of South Ossetia on post-conflict settlement:
Naturally, it is the election of the president of the Republic of South Ossetia, which, according to the unanimous conclusion of all foreign observers, was held at high level. It is gratifying that, notwithstanding the difficulties, through which our Republic had to go through the last few months, since last November, the people of South Ossetia made a wise, right choice.

Quiz: March 14, the Ministry of Economic Development of South Ossetia and the Russian airline "Your air centre" signed a cooperation agreement. It provides for creation an enterprise for small aircraft construction in the territory of South Ossetia. How do you assess the prospects of this agreement and its implementation?

Alexey Khabalov, Minister for Economic Development of South Ossetia:
This is a carefully thought out and quite a real project. The profitability of this project is that even in the first year it will cover 70% of its value and the next year the project will bring profit.

Blitz-Poll: South Ossetia and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement "On the mode of trade in goods," which will provide for duty-free trade between the two countries. How, in your opinion, it will affect the economy of the Republic?

Roin Kozaev, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of South Ossetia:
The agreement will allow free trade between South Ossetia and Russia. South Ossetian goods, exported to Russia, will not be imposed to Russian taxes, and the Russian goods, imported into South Ossetia, will not be taxed. But it does not cover all the commodities. There are products that will be taxed - sugar, wine, beer, mineral water, etc. Goods, imported from Russia to South Ossetia, are not manufactured in our Republic, so the Russian commodity producers will not meet any competition in our Republic.

Quiz: the Pacific state Tuvalu has recognized the independence of South Ossetia. How do you estimate this act and what steps we should take to be recognized by the other states?

Murat Dzhioev, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the RSO:

During the recent visit of the Prime Minister of Tuvalu to South Ossetia the joint statement on establishment diplomatic relations has been signed in Tskhinval. It means that the Republic of South Ossetia has been recognized by one more state.

Brief interview
Question: The European Parliament support the main conclusions in the report of the EU-sponsored International Independent Fact-Finding Mission into the circumstances of the conflict in South Ossetia headed by Heidi Tagliavini. According to this report, Georgia started the war in South Ossetia. Do you expect that the conclusions of Tagliavini’s Mission would have any impact on the policies of the West to support current Georgian regime?

Murat Djioev, RSO Foreign Minister:
Naturally, South Ossetia was interested in the results of the work done by the EU International Fact-Finding Mission headed by Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini, to examine the events of 2008 August. The Mission had done an enormous work, it maintained contact with all the side involved in the war in August 2008. The hope for the professionalism of the Mission members and the objectivity of their conclusions proved right. In the report voiced in December 2009, and in the recent speeches in the PACE and US Congress, Ambassador Tagliavini had clearly stated Georgia’s and Georgian authorities’ responsibility for unleashing the war in August 2008. I would like to express the hope that eventually the international community will learn the truth and the Western protectors of Sakashvili’s regime will cease their support and supplies of weapons.

Question: On 10 September, the President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez stated that his country recognizes the sovereignty of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Your comment.

Elbrus Kargiev, Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of the RF in South Ossetia: The statement of Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela, on recognition of independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia – is an important political event.
I had repeatedly stated that the recognition of new South Caucasus states by international community is the process the first stages of which we are facing now.
The development of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as states with developing democracy is giving the grounds to the progressive world leaders to make a similar step forward. It is time to recognize that the peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia had suffered through their right to deterime their own fate. Russia and Nicaragua showed this understanding already in August and September last year.