In connection with the 16th anniversary of the recognition of the Tskhinvali region as an independent state by Russia, the de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Alan Gagloyev, gave an interview to the Russian newspaper Izvestia where he spoke about the prospects of the region, integration with Russia, ongoing developments in Tbilisi and the actions of the central government of Georgia.

About a Dialogue with the Central Government of Georgia

Gagloyev assessed statements of the Georgian central government and discussed the conditions for a dialogue. He said that the Georgian central government has not signed the non-use-of-force agreement since 2008, which prevents the restoration of trust. Also, Gagloyev expressed his dissatisfaction over the Law of Georgia on Occupied Territories, through which „Georgia carries out a blockade of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.“

As Gagloyev mentioned, instead of constructive dialogue, the de facto republic „is speculatively proposed to join the European Union together with Georgia in 2030.“ On May 26, 2024, at a solemn ceremony dedicated to the independence of Georgia, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, said – „Our „promised land“ and our Georgian dream is to live in a united and strong Georgia together with our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers and sisters in 2030.“  The statement caused a great resonance in the occupied regions and Russia.

About the Current Developments in Tbilisi

According to Gagloyev, Georgia continues to isolate the occupied regions internationally with the help of Western countries. He noted that currently, the situation at the so-called border is stable, however, the region continues to monitor the ongoing events in Georgia, „where there is another internal political crisis. Numerous radical groups are involved in this process and regularly come out with aggressive, nationalist slogans, which cannot but cause concern in the South Ossetian society,“ he said.

The de facto President noted that Russia would perceive an attack on the region as an aggression against itself, „this fact has a due influence on radical groups in Georgia and keeps them from possible provocations.“

Prospects for Recognition and Integration with Russia

According to Gagloyev, the issue of the region joining Russia is not on the agenda at the moment, but “if the appropriate conditions exist, we will consult with our strategic partner.” “To be in Russia is an age-old dream of the Ossetian people,” the de facto leader said.

Gagloyev noted that the de facto republic has prospects for recognition in Latin America, which could involve Venezuela and Nicaragua. According to him, the current changes in the world give hope that the West's attempts to isolate the region will fail, which will open up broad prospects of cooperation with other countries for the Ossetian people.

According to the de facto President, the region uses all available platforms to expand international geographical cooperation. In this context, Gagloyev mentioned the BRICS Games, which is a yearly multi-sport event organized by the BRICS countries used as an alternative to participation in the Olympic Games. It is worth noting that this year's tournament was the first time athletes from the occupied regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region took part.

The de facto leader noted that one of the most promising and possible options for the region is membership in the Union State of Russia and Belarus. According to him, Tskhinvali is actively working to intensify cooperation with Belarus, which would facilitate integration into the Union State. “So far the talk is about connections in the humanitarian sphere, sports, etc. In the future we plan closer cooperation with the Republic of Belarus,” Gagloyev added.