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The region of South Ossetia, a conflict-ridden region separated from Georgia in the Caucasus, has canceled a referendum. The new leader Gagloyev calls the initiative to hold the referendum premature.
The new leader of the pro-Russian region of South Ossetia, Alan Gagloyev, has canceled his predecessor’s plans to hold a referendum. In a decree he emphasizes the “uncertainty about the legal consequences” of holding a referendum. It is not permissible for this topic related to “the legitimate rights and interests of the Russian Federation to be taken unilaterally through a popular vote,” the decree further states.
Therefore, Gagloyev announced that instead of a referendum, talks will be held with Moscow on a “further integration” of South Ossetia into the Russian Federation. He thinks a referendum at the moment would be premature, although he is in principle in favor of union with Russia.
Bibilov loses the election to Gagloev
By decree, Gagloev’s predecessor, Anatoly Bibilov, decided two weeks ago to hold a referendum on the unification of South Ossetia with Russia, saying it was in response to “historic efforts” by people in the region. But Bibilov lost the presidential election, which Gagloyev won. Russia expects from the latter “continuity” in relations with Russia.
The planned referendum in Moscow was seen as an inappropriate issue at the time, due to international pressure from the Russian attack on Ukraine. So Russian politicians and diplomats were skeptical about the referendum.
Caucasus conflict, Russian tank crosses Tskhinvali, South Ossetia, August 2008
Abkhazia does not want to join the Russian Federation
The 50,000-strong region of South Ossetia seceded from Georgia in the early 1990s after a bloody civil war. In 2008, Russia, after a brief war with Georgia, recognized the independence of South Ossetia and the Black Sea region of Abkhazia. Both territories are highly dependent on Russia both politically and economically, financially and militarily. Abkhazia had stated that it did not seek to join the Russian Federation.
Georgia is opposed to the unification of its separate regions with Russia. Thus, this country is in a similar situation to Ukraine, where Moscow had recognized before the war also the independence of the pro-Russian separatist regions located in the east of the country.
The Hague with lawsuits against war criminals
In March, the chief prosecutor of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Karim Khan, demanded the issuance of an arrest warrant for three former South Ossetian leaders on charges of committing war crimes against ethnic Georgians. The charges include torture, illegal arrests, hostage-taking and deportations, as well as the charges now being brought against Kiev by Moscow and its allies.DW
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