Establishment of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic and Social Cooperation between South Ossetia and Russia
In 2010, the Interngovernmental Commission for Social and Economic Cooperation between South Ossetia and Russia was established to replace the Inter-Agency Commission for Rehabilitation of South Ossetia. This Commission was created to ensure more effective interaction between the governments of South Ossetia and Russia in the rehabilitation and socio-economic development of South Ossetia in 2011.
Starting next year, the funding for these sectors will be managed without intermediary agencies such as "Southern Directorate", and the government of South Ossetia will be represented in the Inter-Governmental Commission equally with Russia - 13 representatives (note, there was only one representative of South Ossetia in the Inter-Agency Coommission).
The Minister for Regional Development Viktor Basargin was appointed as the Head of the Russian part of the Commission, the Prime Minister of South Ossetia Vadim Brovtsev will head the South Ossetian part of the Commission.
The Commission members approved the activitiy plan proposed by the South Ossetian side, as well as the list of socio-economic infrastructure construction sites for 2011. For these purposes, over 6.8 billion rubles were allocated from the Russian budget.
Visa free regime between the Republic of South Ossetia and the RF introduced.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of South Ossetia and Russia Murat Dzhioev and Sergey Lavrov respectively signed the intergovernmental agreement on mutual visa-free travel of citizens of South Ossetia and Russia on February 1, 2010, in Moscow. This document has established preferential conditions in the field of economic, business and humanitarian exchanges between the signatories. Now, citizens of both countries do not need a visa for crossing the border between South Ossetia and Russia. The agreement defines the list of identification documents for crossing of the border, including the internal passports of citizens of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation.
Reconstruction of Edis-Tskhinval water pipeline, replacement of water and sewerage networks in Tskhinval
The main works to address the most pressing problems of Tskhinval – water supply and replacement of city water and sewer distribution networks began in 2010
The Edis-Tskhinval water pipeline built in the 80's did not meet the requirements from the very start to feed the city with necessary amounts of potable water, and with the beginning of the Georgian aggression (in 1989) it was repeatedly targeted by the Georgian authorities controlling (until 2008) the enclave with predominantly Georgian population situated along the 9-km segment of the pipeline.
The reconstruction of water pipeline began in 2009, but the main work unfolded in the year 2010. General contractor of reconstruction was Chelyabinsk firm "Vector", and the governmental customer was the Southern Directorate (in 2009 - the State Committee for the implementation of reconstruction projects in RSO). The plan of reconstruction envisages replacement of malfunctioning segments of the pipeline to build additional reservoirs in Tskhinval and Dzau, as well as another close water intake in the village of Brytat. These works will be completed by mid-2011.
The water and sewer networks in Tskhinval have not been properly maintained for about 40 years. Due to the dilapidated pipes and permanent failures in underground nets, some 30% of incoming city water were lost.
The replacement of the city nets began in autumn 2010. The customer of this work is "Southern Directorate", and the general contractor is Moscow-based company "Spetsenergoremonot". The completion date is not yet known, it is assumed that the replacement of networks will continue for more than one year.
Government crisis
In May, a group of the South Ossetian Parliament members has taken the non-confidence vote initiative against the Government of the Republic. According to MPs, the activities of the economic sector of the government led to a paralysis of the executive power branch of South Ossetia, and this had "the most negative impact on life in the republic and created social tensions in the society."
In his turn, the Prime Minister of South Ossetia Vadim Brovtsev, speaking on May 5 at the parliamentary session, rejected the allegations of the the initiators of the no-confidence vote saying they were groundless, and the government fully did its job.
The outcome of the session was the establishment of a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the activities of the government, which was supposed to resolve the issue of non-confidence vote.
The confrontation was ended by South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity. Having gathered on the same day the members of the government and MPs, he said that there wasn’t any governmental or political crisis in South Ossetia. He expressed his support to the non-confidence vote initiators saying that "ignorance and inaction of some ministers blocked the work of the government and undermines the image of the Prime Minister, but at the same time, the President expressed his support to Vadim Brovtsev and urged him for a tougher approach to matters related to staff.
The president also urged the ministers and parliamentarians to draw appropriate conclusions and follow all their duties.
"Certain decisions are already ready. The question about the activities of some ministers, and all kinds of State Unitary Enterprises (SUEs) will be scrutinized, including their prosecution under criminal law ", the president said.
Car accidents at TaransKAM
On July 18, en route from Vladikavkaz to Tskhinval, a passenger bus fell off a cliff at the Trans-Caucasian highway near the village of Upper Ruk (Dzau district of South Ossetia). As a result of the accident, 11 people, including two children, were killed and 12 people received various injuries. The State Commission for the funeral of the victims of accident created on behalf of the President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity, paid out compensation to the victims' families (100 thousand) and those of injured (up to 50,000 rubles, depending on the injury).
The preliminary investigation into the accident is in its final stage. South Ossetia's Prosecutor General's Office is preparing to hand over the materials to the court to determine the degree of responsibility of those involved in the accident.
Visit of the President of South Ossetia to Nicaragua and Venezuela
In July 2010, the South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity paid an official visit to Latin American states which have recognized the independence of South Ossetia after Russia. It was the first oversea visit of the South Ossetian President.
On July 18, the delegation of South Ossetia headed by the President arrived in Nicaragua. In Managua, Kokoity took part in the celebrations of the 31 th anniversary of the victory of the Sandinista revolution. During the three-day visit in Nicaragua, the members of the South Ossetian delegation held official talks, including those at the highest level, with a number of intergovernmental agreements signed.
On July 21, the delegation visited Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela. During the visit, Eduard Kokoity, met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
The visit to Caracas also resulted in several bilateral documents on cooperation between South Ossetia and Venezuela signed.
Nicaragua had recognized the independence of South Ossetia 5 September 2008, Venezuela on September 10, 2009.
The First International Music Festival
On August 26, Tskhinval hosted the first International Music Festival of Song "Bonværnon" devoted to Russia's recognition of South Ossetia. Authors and singers of songs about Tskhinval, including the band Bonværnon, most popular in South and North Ossetia, as well as Ossetian and Russian artists came to congratulate the Ossetian people on this occasion and to take part in the festival. The festival participants were judged by by a competent jury composed of distinguished arts and folk music representatives as well as artists from South Ossetia and North Ossetia – Alania, Russia. The jury was headed by honored guest of the Republic, People's Artist of Russia Lev Leschenko. He both judged the festival performances, and appeared on the stage and sang his most popular songs.
20th anniversary of the independence of South Ossetia
On September 20, South Ossetia celebrated the 20 th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on national sovereignty by the Council of People's Deputies of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast.
In Tskhinval, a military parade, as well as numerous events dedicated to the struggle of the Ossetian people for freedom and independence took place.
To participate in the celebrations, delegations from Russia, Abkhazia, Nauru, Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh, Ukraine, Belarus, Italy and France arrived in the Republic.
As the President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity noted in his address to the nation, Russia's recognition of South Ossetia (August 26, 2008) was not a gift of fate, as it sometimes happens in history.
"This recognition was a logical consequence of years-long struggle for freedom and independence, for human dignity and the right to the land of our ancestors.
Sovereign state was created by our people as the only possible way to protect ourselves from the constant threat from Georgia and ensure our rights ", said the President.
Opening of border posts
On December 14, an openinig ceremony at the first border posts of the Border Guard Department of the RF FSB in South Ossetia took place. The first two of the posts with a modern office and housing infrastructure in villages Zivlet and Mugut Znaur district of South Ossetia were opened. At the opening ceremony, the president of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity said that the opening of border posts indicated the progressive implementation of the complex measures on protection of state border and fruitful cooperation between Russia and South Ossetia in this sphere.
"This is another step to help calm and stability at the borders of South Ossetia", the president said.
20 border posts in all districts of South Ossetia and a set of buildings of Border Department in Tskhinval are to be built.
Increasing penalties for drug abuse
This year in South Ossetia was marked with active measures against drug addiction.
Upon the South Ossetian President's decision, the government of the Republic has developed and approved draft laws on stricter penalties for illegal use of drugs and their substitutes.
The draft law adopted on 15 December by the Cabinet of Ministers provides for punishment for drug abuse 1-4 years of imprisonment.
Earlier, a law was passed banning the free sale of confectionery poppy, from which drug addicts extracted drugs themselves. The law enforcement bodies of South Ossetia achieved impressive successes in the fight against drug distributors. According to representatives of the Interior Ministry, all the drug dealers were arrested or fled from South Ossetia and "heavy" drugs cannot be found in the country.
