News

Deployment of international police forces in South Ossetia and Abkhazia is impossible because of absurdity of the question itself which is infringement of independence and sovereignty of the republics. This opinion was stated in an interview with IA "Res" by a representative of the Association of cross-border cooperation in Central Asia and Caucasus, Mikhail Chernov, commenting on the yesterday's statement by the Georgian Foreign Ministry on the need to deploy an international police force in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
However, the expert expressed concern about the situation related to penetration of drugs from Georgia to Abkhazia, South Ossetia and the North Caucasus.

Statements by the United States and Georgia that, maybe, the drug traffic passes through Abkhazia and South Ossetia, do not hold water. Such an opinion in an interview with IA "Res" has been stated by a representative of the Association of the cross-border cooperation in Central Asia and Caucasus, Mikhail Chernov, commenting on the recent statements by the American and Georgian authorities about the possible drug trafficking through the territory of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Ministry of Economic Development of South Ossetia plans to start reconstruction of the mine in the town of Kvajsa in Dzausky district of South Ossetia. As reported to IA "Res" by the Economic Development Minister of the Republic Alexei Khabalov, at the initial stage of the reconstruction it is planned to assess the resources of the mine with the assistance of the Russian experts.

The Supreme Court of South Ossetia confirmed the CEC decision on rejecting the registration of Sergei Bitiev as a presidential candidate of South Ossetia.

South Ossetian MPs as observers will participate in the Parliamentary elections of the Republic of Abkhazia. This has been reported to IA "Res" by the Parliament of South Ossetia.
They noted that, on the invitation of the Parliament of the Republic of Abkhazia, the delegation of parliamentarians had already left for monitoring the elections, scheduled for March 10.

Today the candidates for president of South Ossetia, live on the state television are going to sign a joint statement on holding free and fair presidential elections. The draft statement has been proposed by the presidential candidate David Sanakoev during the today's round table in Tskhinval, "Election of the President of South Ossetia, March 25 – is a new stage of development of statehood of the Republic." During the discussion the candidate Dmitry Medoev has noted that in February a similar document was signed by contenders for the presidency, whose action groups at that time were registered by the Central Election Committee.

The Supreme Court of South Ossetia, during the today's session, has not satisfied an appeal of Sergei Zasseev against the decision of the Central Election Committee, dated February 25, on refusing his registration as a candidate for president of South Ossetia. This has been reported to IA "Res" at the press service of the Supreme Court.

In South Ossetia the turnout in presidential elections of Russia amounted to 15,839 voters. This has been reported to IA "Res" by the Russian consul in South Ossetia Tamerlane Zasseev.
According to him, this is 2426 persons more than in the December elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation, when 13,403 residents of South Ossetia participated in the voting.

Today inauguration of the first international post office "Mail of South Ossetia" has been held in Tskhinval. The event was attended by representatives of the Government of South Ossetia and the Russian presidential administration, the leadership of the Office of the Federal Postal Service in North Ossetia, management and employees of the Republican SUE "Postal and Telegraph Services of South Ossetia" and administration of the Federal SUE "Mail of Russia".

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.