“Everything has its time”. Why was the integration process of Russia and South Ossetia suspended?

Suspension of the decree

How says In the text of the decree of the republic and the Russian Federation “On ways of further integration”, published by Gagloev on the website of the president, the issue of joining another state cannot be resolved unilaterally.

“Recognizing the inadmissibility of a unilateral referendum decision on issues affecting the legitimate rights and interests of the Russian Federation, fully supporting the initiative of the citizens of the Republic of South Ossetia for further integration, I take the decision to suspend it until the consultations are completed. The document reads the decree of the President of the Republic of South Ossetia “on the call for a referendum” dated May 13, 2022.

Gagloev decided to “immediately consult with the Russian side on all issues related to further integration” with the Russian Federation. To do this, he also created a list of officials who will be part of the South Ossetian delegation for negotiations with Russia.

In addition to Gagloev, Speaker of the Assembly Alan Tadtaev, President of the Supreme Court Olesya Kochieva, Chairman of the Central Election Commission Emilia Gagiev acted. Foreign Minister Dmitry Medoev, State Adviser to President Konstantin Kochiev. The Presidential Decree entered into force from the day of its signing – from May 30.

On May 13, the Central Election Commission of South Ossetia approved a package of documents on holding a referendum on the accession of the republic to Russia and sent it to the outgoing President Anatoly Bibilov. In response, he public A decree that a referendum will be held on 17 July 2022. Citizens planned to ask the question: “Do you support the unification of the Republic of South Ossetia and Russia?”

legal event

The elected president of South Ossetia, Alan Gagloev, was sworn in as president on 24 May. After winning the election on May 11, he said in an interview with TASS that his country wanted maximum integration with the Russian Federation, therefore, as soon as South Ossetia received a corresponding signal from Russia, a referendum on joining the Russian Federation would be held.

Russian President’s Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that “no steps have been taken or planned by the Russian side in this case and in this regard” regarding the upcoming referendum. He emphasized that this issue should be concluded legally.

“If we understand correctly, the referendum issue is legally formulated as the unification of the Republic of South Ossetia and Russia. That is, legally, this is such an event, because if it is unity, then we are talking about the creation of a third state, which, of course, is impossible.

So, of course, there, probably legally, you just have to think a little bit about the wording, ”Peskov explained.

“Everything has its time”

Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, said in an interview with socialbites.ca that he considers the question planned to be asked in the referendum “very wrong”. He didn’t like it when he asked the citizens of South Ossetia if they really wanted to “unite” and whether they wanted to join Russia or be part of it.

“Unification is the creation of a new state. In other words, according to the results of such a referendum, South Ossetia should establish a new state with Russia. Will we establish a new state even if South Ossetia is part of Russia? No, of course not. We did not create a new state when Crimea became part of the Russian Federation. Entry is one thing, merging is another.

According to him, the author of the wording of the question “did not want to create some kind of catch”, but was in a hurry. Zatulin is sure that such “amateurism” has no place in foreign policy, it is “contraindicated”.

Zatulin explained the haste in the formation of the referendum issue, when Bibilov, who lost the election, “wanted to put Gagloev, who had won him, in a difficult position.” Zatulin said that Bibilov, who “came to power with the slogan of joining South Ossetia to the Russian Federation”, “did not stutter about it” during his tenure. And he “remembered” only during the preparation for the second round of the presidential election.

“Unfortunately, the reason is quite clear, opportunistic and linked to the desire to win elections in this way,” says the MP.

According to him, “knowing the mood in South Ossetia, there is no doubt that the people there will gladly vote to join Russia”.

“I repeat, we respect the desire of the Ossetians to unite and join Russia, but I think that it is unlikely that we will be ready for such an action in the near future. Because we are not ready, holding such a referendum will create and have already created uncertainty, including among the Ossetian people, ”Zatulin was convinced.

On the one hand, he explained that if the referendum was still held as previously suggested, people would be confused, some would vote against it, and that this “could serve as a reason for the implication that there is no South Ossetia in fact.” I want to be a part of Russia”. On the other hand, in a situation where the referendum is held without consultation and Russia does not accept the decision, rumors will arise that the Russian Federation does not want to see South Ossetia in its structure and treats Ossetians with disrespect.

Zatulin concluded that “at a time when everything has its time and Russia is involved in a very serious conflict conducting its military operation in Ukraine”, its borders should not “augment the number of problems around it”.