The border-crossing at the South Ossetian state border is to be regulated by the authorities of South Ossetia – stated the Special Representative for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev, commenting on the information disseminated by the Georgian side on the ban imposed on Georgian passports for crossing the stated border between South Ossetia and Georgia. "Authorities of South Ossetia did not take any decisions banning Georgian passports for crossing the border in Leningor district", said Chochiev. For Georgian authorities' and their supporters' information, in regards to stiffened border-crossing we did not impose any prohibiting measures. Whatever are the wishes of the Georgian authorities, Bakradze and other pseudo-politicians, we are creating all necessary conditions for the residents of Leningor district, which of course, is in contradiction to the plans of the Georgian authorities, who had created unbearable conditions for the residents of this district after August 2008 aggression.
According to Boris Chochiev, in August 2008, natural gas supply to Leningor district was cut off, and since then, the district remains without gas, and there were also problems with electricity supply. "This winter, we have achieved the main goal – Leningor district is supplied with electricity from Russia, and now there is no risk that there will be cut-offs well-practiced by the Georgian side. We are also considering the issue of connecting the district to Russian gas", said the Special Representative.
"Contrary to Georgia, where everything is done according to directives received from Washington, in South Ossetia, the authorities take the decisions", stated Chochiev. The residents of Leningor district can freely cross the Georgian-Ossetian border. They did not encounter any problems on the territory of SOuth Ossetia, and they will never do".
A part of Leningor district of South Ossetia, where there is a large Georgian community, was under Georgian occupation for many years. After the events of August 2008, the leadership of South Ossetia allowed simplified border-crossing for the residents of Leningor – to travel to Georgia with Georgian IDs.
