The Republic Day, which South Ossetia is celebrating today, is a symbol of national unity, a symbol of the ties between the generations that created the statehood, defended it with weapons, restored and adorned our beautiful Republic with their creative work, President of South Ossetia Alan Gagloev said at the solemn meeting dedicated to the 32nd anniversary of the formation of the Republic.
The event is taking place in the building of the Kosta Khetagurov State Drama Theatre with the participation of President Alan Gagloev, representatives of the executive and legislative branches of the government, and the public. Delegations from Russia, North Ossetia, the DPR, the LPR, KChR, Abkhazia, Dagestan, Chechnya, etc. arrived in the Republic to share the joy and take part in the celebrations.
The solemn meeting began with the showing of historical footage about the formation of the Republic of South Ossetia.
The national flag of South Ossetia was brought into the hall; the anthem of the republic was played.
In his speech, the head of state made a short digression into the history of the formation of the Republic of South Ossetia, having reminded that the decision to transform the South Ossetian Autonomous Region into the South Ossetian Democratic Republic was made on September 20, 1990 by the Regional Council of People's Deputies of South Ossetia.
“At the turn of the 1980s-1990s, South Ossetia found itself in the position of a hostage of the Georgian separatists who were striving for the separation of the Georgian SSR from the Union State. Expecting to seize the territory of South Ossetia with Abkhazia, they were consistently pursuing a course towards the elimination of our autonomy, which at that time did not have broad legal guarantees.
The attack on our rights went on all fronts - from the ban on the historical name of South Ossetia, to the requirements for artificially restricting the birth rate of the non-Georgian population. The Supreme Council of the Georgian SSR was adopting resolutions one after another that limited the powers of the autonomies, and then practically annulled the legal grounds for the existence of the autonomous region,” the President said.
Alan Gagloev has noted that at that time Ossetians were subjected to repression throughout Georgia. Georgian neo-Nazis organized a march to Tskhinval under the pretext of holding a "peaceful rally".
According to the President, in the most difficult conditions, people of South Ossetia have shown rare fortitude, real patriotism and the ability to self-organization.
“Thanks to the decisive position of the leaders of the national liberation movement "Adamon Nykhas", as well as the public and the deputy corps, on September 20, 1990, at the 14th session of the South Ossetian Regional Council of People's Deputies, the decision was made to transform the South Ossetian Autonomous Region into the South Ossetian Ossetian Soviet Democratic Republic. It was an attempt to legally designate their sovereignty - to get out of the legal field of the GSSR and protect themselves with the laws of the USSR,” he has stressed.
The people of South Ossetia showed unparalleled will, courage and selflessness, defending their right to life and freedom, the President continued, "Self-defense units were fighting to the death, defending their people and their Republic."
The head of state has clarified that on January 19, 1992, the referendum confirmed the will of South Ossetia to self-determination, and on May 29, 1992, based on the will of the people expressed in the referendum, the Supreme Council of the Republic unanimously voted for the Act of declaring the state independence of the Republic of South Ossetia - "step by step we were building and strengthening our statehood."
Alan Gagloev noted the great help and support of Russia, North Ossetia, the fraternal peoples of the North Caucasus to the Ossetian people, he addressed them with words of gratitude and appreciation of the entire people of South Ossetia.
He has once again stressed that Russia provided great assistance to the South Ossetian people in the restoration of the Republic after the August 2008 war, and continues to support South Ossetia in all spheres of life.
“On behalf of the entire people of South Ossetia, I express my deepest gratitude to the people of the Russian Federation and the leadership of the country, headed by President Vladimir Putin, for everything that Russia has done and continues to do for South Ossetia. Today, when Russia is defending the right of the inhabitants of Donbass to human dignity and peaceful life on their land, Ossetian warriors are fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Russian soldiers, fulfilling their allied duty. Our people have always been and will always be with Russia!” the head of state said.
"Many of those who, back in September 1990, began the heroic path of the South Ossetian statehood did not have a chance to meet the triumph of victory that came to us with the recognition of independence by the Russian Federation on August 26, 2008. Many did not have a chance to share today's joyful holiday with us. Ossetia will remember everyone," Gagloev stressed.
The meeting participants honored the memory of the fallen defenders of the Motherland with a minute of silence.
On this solemn day for national memory, we have every reason to say with pride that we managed to create, build and defend our state, our Republic! On September 20, 1990, South Ossetia chose its own path, the only true main road of its development, and this way our Republic will continue to go into the future! Happy holiday!", - Alan Gagloev congratulated the people of South Ossetia.
The event continued with the awards ceremony. The Order of Honor was awarded to agricultural worker Vasily Tedeev, and a number of representatives of the Defense Ministry were also awarded medals. In addition, the title of "People's Artist" was awarded to Vano Bekoev and Soslan Khassiev, Honored Worker of Culture to Grigory Mamiev.
