By William Miller, special correspondent in Tbilisi, for Eurasia Business News – March 30, 2022

View on the mountains of South Ossetia.

President of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov said that the republic intends to take legal steps in the near future to initiate the process of joining Russia.

South Ossetia is a breakaway region of Georgia.

Anatoly Bibilov’s statement was quoted by the press service of the ruling party “United Russia” in a statement released on Wednesday.

“I believe that unification with Russia is our strategic goal. Our way. The aspirations of the people. And along this path we will move. We will take the appropriate legal steps in the near future. The Republic of South Ossetia will be part of its historical homeland – Russia“, reported the press release.

According to Anatoly Bibilov, the Ossetian people are divided, and its historical and strategic goal is “unification within the framework of one state.”

“This state is the Russian Federation“, stressed the President of this separatist republic.

“Our people have designated this goal repeatedly, we had the opportunity to realize our centuries-old dream in 2014, when Crimea returned to its native harbor. We missed our opportunity then, but we cannot allow this to happen again“, added Anatoly Bibilov.

“South Ossetia can express its desire to become part of the Russian Federation, and in legal terms this is quite possible” said Leonid Kalashnikov, chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots. The Russian official added : “In any case, for Russia, which today defends and for the most part maintains this republic, nothing will change, and maybe even become better in economic terms.”

The population of South Ossetia would be 53,532 people, including 30,432 people in the main city, Tskhinvali. The economy of this republic relies on the production of fruits (apples, pears and persimmons) as well as mineral waters. The only currency in free circulation in the republic is the Russian ruble, even if the National Bank of South Ossetia has been minting since 2013 the Zarin (1 zarin = 10 rubles), a currency made of gold investment coins.

The independence of the republic of South Ossetia was first recognized by Russia in August 2008, after a five-days war with Georgia. Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru and Tuvalu then recognized South Ossetia.

Since 2009, Russia has deployed a military base with 4,000 troops in South Ossetia.

On March 18, 2015, South Ossetia signed a treaty of alliance and integration with the Russian Federation. Three years later, Syria recognized the independence of South Ossetia.

On March 14, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted to the State Duma a bill No. 86771-8 on the ratification of the agreement on dual citizenship between South Ossetia and Russia.

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