A speech by the expert of the Regional Public Organization "Vozrozhdenie» (Renaissance) Oleg Kuduhov at the working session of the OSCE Review Conference in Warsaw:
Over two decades of independence of South Ossetia, two referenda, three presidential campaigns, and five parliamentary elections were conducted there. Whenever a change of power in the Republic took place, it was done through free will of its people in democratic elections, and not as a result of coups or color revolutions as some of our neighbors did.
"We do not recognize the elections in South Ossetia", the standard conclusion, which we hear from the official European institutions, including the OSCE after each election. Every time, as a voter I feel personally offended, feeling those who did not recognize the elections did not recognize me as a person, they did not recognize my compatriots, who along with me just express their will.
Whenever it happens, there is a sense that we live in parallel worlds.
In your world, South Ossetia does not exist. This is just a piece of territory, which the Georgians, carefully avoiding the word "Ossetia", called "Tskhinvali region". In your world, it does not even have the autonomy and its territory is divided between several regions of Georgia.
In OUR world, South Ossetia exists for twenty years. Years ago, the state was proclaimed on the basis of impeccable political and legal grounds, based on the law that existed in the country a part of which it was at that time, that is, the laws of the Soviet Union.
In your world, these political and legal grounds do not matter. The "right of the strong" and "political expediency" reign there.
In our world, South Ossetia is a presidential republic. It is headed by a president elected for five years but not for more than two consecutive terms.
The legislative power in the Republic is represented by the Parliament of 33 members elected for five years by proportional electoral system with 6% barrier.
Earlier, the parliament was elected through the majority electoral system. For the Georgian minority, which did not then take part in the elections under police pressure of the government in Tbilisi, there were few seats reserved.
Short before the Georgian aggression against South Ossetia in August 2008, the Georgian population left the territory of the Republic, intending to return after a few days to South Ossetia fully controlled by Georgian authorities. As you know, the course of the events was a bit different, and most of these people were not able to come back.
Part of the Georgian population was able to return, some remained and those, who returned, no longer felt the pressure from Tbilisi and actively voted in the last election. Currently, the elections are held under the proportional system. We can see Georgian surnames in the electoral party lists and the lists of parliament members.
Are our elections democratic? Yes, they are. There were representatives of the opposition, who criticized the election process in the recent elections. In general, the international observers who were present at the polls during last year's parliamentary elections also concluded that the elections met all the democratic norms.
In your world, unfortunately, the election in South Ossetia did not take place.
Today, the OSCE is not present in South Ossetia, in any format. Although the organization has the will, we all know that. The problem is that it wants to be present in Tskhinvali region, but not in South Ossetia. Assuming that this area is a part of the territory of several Georgian districts, OSCE staff come there, and, as in the novel of Clifford Simak, face a sort of "force field" that they cannot overcome. I assure you, there will be no problems with overcoming it, if you do not go Tskhinvali region, but to South Ossetia.
The following year, there are presidential elections in the Republic. It is strange to observe that the OSCE wants to control everything in South Ossetia – the borders, territories, settlements, the armed forces. All, except democratic institutions, elections and referenda. We urge you to put aside all prejudices and be present at these elections as observers. This fact will undoubtedly give them more transparency.
Ladies and gentlemen. It is not a fantasy. We exist in reality. You do not need any sophisticated technical devices, spatial portals, etc., to get to our "parallel world". You need only a good will and a plane ticket. Welcome to South Ossetia!
