Блиц-опрос

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.

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.

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.