Today at the border of South Ossetia the Georgian authorities have organized a protest action against the delimitation works. This time Georgian journalists have decided to protest against the legitimate and logical actions of South Ossetian authorities.
The day before, according to the Georgian media, it was stated that at the state border near the village of Mugut (Znaur district, RSO) would gather 200 journalists. The South Ossetian authorities, concerned about the possible escalation of the situation have made the statements that the action scheduled for Saturday, as well as several previous ones, threaten the stability in the entire region.
In addition, the relevant letters were sent to the co-chairs of the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia and to the leadership of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia. All responsibility for possible escalation of tension the South Ossetian authorities impose on Tbilisi, as the organizer of mass hysteria around the delimitation works at the state border of South Ossetia.
The action, not so wide, but was held. About 50 people gathered three kilometers to the east of the village of Mugut. They unfurled a Georgian flag, the banner with the inscriptions "Russian occupants" and a few small posters with the similar content.
Between the boundary line and the protesters the Georgian police put up a cordon, blocking about 200-meter section of the demarcation strip. There were also observers of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia. From the South Ossetian side the situation was being observed by several journalists and two unarmed representative of the KGB. The protesters were rather reserved and did not try to get closer to the state border line.
The head of the press service of the KGB of South Ossetia Alexander Smirnov described the situation at the border as the next planned provocation
"It is the impromptu rally that supposedly symbolizes the attitude of the Georgian public to the delimitation works of South Ossetia at the state border. As always in such cases, the Georgian side has exaggerated the scale and significance of such actions – there were no more than 50 people, "- he told reporters.
At the same time, the situation is calm and under control of the South Ossetian authorities.
"The same functions are performed by the Georgian police, who ensure the people not to cross the border line," - said Smirnov.
Having stood on that section of the border about an hour, Georgian journalists went to the other – dividing the Ossetian village Mugut and the Georgian village Dhwani. The reason for the meeting was the situation here with a few houses burnt during combat operations in August 2008. These houses are not restored -the bare walls without roofs and signs of life. They are located in the 50-meter zone between the temporary demarcation structures erected in 2008, and the border line which complies with the boundary of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the Soviet Union and defined by GPS-devices. The homeowners claim that they have no alternative accommodation. They were proposed to disassemble the walls and move them into the Georgian territory, or by restoring their houses to stay and live in the territory of South Ossetia, becoming the citizens of the Republic of South Ossetia, observing the laws of South Ossetia. The residents preferred to "move."
Today the action was held without any excesses. Maybe, the journalists realized the consequences and were not involved into a reckless adventure. What will happen next time?
