Tskhinvali Mulls Referendum on Constitutional Changes Related to Joining Russia

Leader of Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia, Leonid Tibilov, has proposed a referendum on a constitutional change that would allow de facto president to request Moscow South Ossetia’s accession to Russia.

Addressing breakaway region’s parliament on February 19 Tibilov suggested that it would be a more flexible form of achieving South Ossetia’s “dream” of joining Russia than holding a referendum directly on whether to become or not part of Russia. He indicated that this “special form” of referendum will give Tskhinvali “constitutional basis” to initiate with prior agreement with Moscow accession process whenever appropriate.

Calls for joining Russia were frequently heard from Tskhinvali before the August, 2008 war and the issue was emerging time after time since then as well. In October, 2015 Tibilov announced about the intention of holding the referendum on joining Russia, but the Kremlin said at the time that the issue was not a topic of discussion with Tskhinvali. At the time some senior Russian lawmakers said that it was not the best time for such a decision, including because of international context, and there were more cons than pros for Moscow in South Ossetia’s accession to Russia.

“We cannot but be concerned with more and more frequently voiced demands from the western leaders for Russia to reverse its decision on recognition of our republic. We are also concerned about overall sharp deterioration of international situation, developments in Ukraine, Syria and Middle East, getting of NATO closer to the Russian borders, continued bellicose anti-Russian and anti-Ossetian rhetoric in our southern neighbor,” Tibilov told the breakaway region’s parliament on February 19.

“In these conditions we feel the need even more acutely for materializing our long-standing dream of joining the Great Russia and solving the problem of divided Ossetian people. It is obvious that it is the only way through which we can gain long-term guarantees of security and peaceful development,” he said.

“That’s why we are going to continue consultations this year with the Russian side about holding of the referendum. Because we understand the complexity and delicate nature of this issue and we are willing not to create any complications for our strategic partner [Russia] on the international arena, I believe, that the referendum should be held in a special form,” Tibilov said.

“That’s why it is being considered to put in the referendum a question of adding a clause to the constitution allowing the President to appeal the Russian Federation with a proposal to accept South Ossetia as part of the Russian Federation.”

“It will give us a firm constitutional basis for initiating the issue of joining Russia and at the same time we will not be obligating the Russian side to react immediately on the results of our referendum. Then, in agreement with the Russian side, we will have a possibility to put forth without delay the initiative over joining Russia,” he said.