Archive - 6/2009

The construction of new housing at the locations of houses fully burnt or destroyed during the Georgian aggression was planned to start 1 June 2009. But the process has not been started yet, though there is funding. The demolition and clean up process has just started in Tskhinval. The Chairman of the State Committee for Implementation of Reconstruction Projects Zurab Kabisov told IA RES about the reasons for this delay.
“The damaged houses are being demolished. However, there is no approved consolidated list of houses identified for the priority reconstruction. The work is ongoing – the state and public organizations dealing with reconstruction of private housing had compiled the lists of houses, but these lists do no match each other in the content and the number of houses”, said Kabisov.

The last two days second session on the issues related to reconstruction of private housing partly or completely destroyed during the Georgian aggression in August 2008 was held. The session was presided by the Chairman of the Inter-Agency Commission (IAC) on Reconstruction of South Ossetia Roman Panov. The Chairman of the State Committee for Implementation of Rehabilitation Projects Zurab Kabisov, the Director of the State Unitary Enterprise (SUE) “Directory” (the general contractor for rehabilitation) Robert Bibilov, the Mayor of Tskhinval Robert Guliev and representatives of subcontracting companies attended the session.

The 7th Congress of the Ossetian people is ongoing in Vladikavkaz. The South Ossetian and North Ossetian government, representatives of Ossetian diasporas of Russian and overseas are participating in the Congress.
On behalf of South Ossetians, the President of the Republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity in his speech expressed gratitude to government and the parliament of North Ossetia-Alania for support and assistance during the August tragedy.

The first session of the newly elected Parliament of the Republic of South Ossetia was held today in Tskhinval. Representative of the RSO government headed by the RSO President Eduard Kokoity, the Central Election Commission members. The session was presided by the oldest member of the Parliament Nikolay Dzagoev.
The chairperson of the Central Election Commission Bella Plieva reported on the pre-election campaign and the election process, the 31 May voting and on the CEC activities in general.
The session proceeded with the MPs electing the Mandate Commission and the Parliament Secretariat.

Upon the arrival of the representatives of the EU, OSCE and UN in Tskhinval an protest action was held at the entrance to the Government building, where with their slogans up demanding for release of their beloved ones, the relatives of SO citizens abducted by the Georgian law enforcement bodies met the delegation. They requested for facilitation in releasing the detainees form Georgian prisons. The head of the delegation Pierre Morel promised to get as much information as possible about the fate of the detainees and stressed that his and his colleagues’ visit aimed at assisting the matter.

A delegation of the EU, OSCE and UN arrived today in South Ossetia: Special Representative of the OSCE CiO Christopouolos Charalampos, UNOMIG Senior Political Officer Atanas Baltov and the EU Envoy Pierre Morel, as well as other representatives of these organizations.
In Tskhinval, the visitors were received by the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev.
At the beginning of the meeting, Chochiev stressed that issues related to security and non-use of force by Georgia remained the most important for South Ossetia. “We are happy that the last meeting focused on these issues. This is one of the points in Medvedev-Sarkozy plan, which should be implemented. Therefore, it is necessary to elaborate a document which would guarantee security”, said Chochiev.

The RSO President Eduard Kokoitz met with newly elected members of Parliament (MPs). The president congratulated them on their victory in the Parliamentary Elections emphasizing the significant role and responsibility of the Parliament in the political life of South Ossetia.
"We have a huge work ahead and the main task of the Parliament is to consolidate the society as much as possible. The people followed you and they deserve gratitude for political wisdom, since the forces, which were not thinking about the people, did not join the Parliament. Let these people know that they will be brought account for all their pre-election statements. It is high time stop flinging mud at the people and the leadership of South Ossetia. I am firm in my position and call on you to be firm as well", said the President.
He underlined that the new Parliament should be more engaged in law-making process than were the previous MPs.
"All adopted law should be oriented at strengthening our statehood and creation of normal, favorable conditions for the population", stated Eduard Kokoity.

Presentation of design projects of private houses to constructed for the Republic residents, who lost their housing as a result of the Georgian aggression in August 2008, was held in South Ossetia. Twelve short-listed construction companies from Russia presented their house designs to the residents whose houses burnt down
"We should start a full-scale construction of private housing on the territory of the Republic of South Ossetia", said the RSO President Eduard Kokoity.
Representatives of the construction companies presented their designs of houses to be made of modern construction materials.
"All construction materials are environmentally and porous to ensure insulation and sound-proof in the houses", noted the representative of the Stavropol Construction Company "Interyug" Eduard Marchanukov.
The house designs differed in their appearance, but the space does not exceed 125 sq.m. All designs foresee independent heating system and facilities. The price per sq.m. is 23,000 RUR. Upon an ad hoc agreement between the house owner and the subcontractor, it is possible to increase the standard space and build up a garage, basement and other annexes.

The Second Conference of signatories to the "Act of Commitments to Observe Total Ban on Anti-Personal Mines and Cooperation in Mine Actions" proposed by Geneva Call will be held in Geneva 17-19 June. As the RSO Human Right Commissioner David Sanakoev to represent the South Ossetian side at the Conference told IA RES, the meeting aims at gathering together the signatories to the Act, as well as the sides, which did not sign it, but with which the Geneva call maintains a dialogue.

On 16 June, a delegation of representatives of the EU, OSCE and UN will arrive in SOuth Ossetia. The delegation includes the Special Representative of the OSCE Greek Chairmanship Christopoulos Charalampos, UN SG Special Representative Johann Verbeke and EU Envoy Pierre Morel and other representatives of these organizations.