A memorial event marking International Day of the missing was held in the capital of South Ossetia.
Officials and the public gathered at the memorial in the park opposite the Church of the Holy Mother of God to express solidarity with the families whose loved ones went missing during the years of the Georgian aggression.
Yegor Kochiev, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy of South Ossetia for Post-Conflict Resolution, called on the international organizations and mediators to show more responsibility in the search for missing persons.
He has apologized to the relatives who have been waiting for years for information about the fate of their loved ones, emphasizing that the work in this direction continues, but that mere words about continuing the search are no longer enough.
The Plenipotentiary Representative focused on the activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
"I understand their rules, of course. They can endlessly hide behind answers about confidentiality and the impossibility of disclosing certain matters, but we believe we need to demand that the Georgian side—the side that can certainly answer some of our questions—approach this matter with greater responsibility," Kochiev has stated.
According to him, the ICRC has the ability to directly appeal to the Georgian leadership.
"And if the Georgian leadership is uncooperative, there are certain levers of pressure—the UN and various international organizations—that can be pressed to exert pressure on those who can provide answers to clarify the fate of the missing," the Plenipotentiary Representative has emphasized.
In conclusion, Kochiev thanked everyone for their participation in this work and expressed hope for concrete answers for the families of the missing.
South Ossetia's Minister of Labor and Social Protection, Oleg Gagloev, has noted that the issue of determining the fates of the compatriots remains urgent, despite the passage of years.
The Minister has expressed his deep sympathy to the families who have still not received news of their loved ones.
"They say time heals, but in this case, that is not true. Years have passed, but we have no right to forget about the missing. Unfortunately, we still have not received any information about their fate," Gagloev has noted.
The Minister expressed his sincere support to the families continuing the search and wished them strength and fortitude.
Lidiya Kudzieva, head of the public organization "Memory and Hope," expressed her deep gratitude to everyone present.
She has sadly emphasized that many family members passed away without ever receiving news of the fate of their missing relatives.
"It's unbearably difficult for me to stand here before you, before the families of those who disappeared without a trace, because I cannot give you the answers you so desperately await," Kudzieva has noted.
Over 130 people are listed as missing in South Ossetia between 1989 and 2008.
The overwhelming majority of them are people who disappeared during the Georgian aggression against South Ossetia.
