Demolition of Village Eredvi: “continuation of ethnic cleansing policy” of Georgian population
By Vladimer Napetvaridze
Tuesday, September 26
De facto South Ossetian government is expected to demolish abandoned houses of ethnic Georgians after the Russian –Georgian war under the programme of social and economic development supported by Russia
According to news agencies present on the territory of occupied Tskhinvali region, de facto South Ossetia, the village Eredvi will be cleared from construction garbageduring two weeksin the framework ofSocial and Economic Development Investment Program.
Representatives of the occupied South Ossetia construction service announced that the area should be cleaned from 268 houses, out of which 163 have already been deconstructed. After the cleaning is completed, the territory will be handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture. The reason of this action is to make the village Eredvi’s land useful for cultivation as stated by representatives of de facto South Ossetian government.
Responding to this action, an official webpage of the Georgian President’s Administration has published a statement.
"In the occupied territories of Georgia, where ethnic cleansing has been carried out, the occupying force perpetrates another act of vandalism, directed against the territorial integrity of Georgia and fundamental human rights,” the statement reads.
“The Russian Federation finances the demolition of internally displaced people’s homes in the occupied village of Eredvi. This action aims at removing the trace of Georgian population from this indigenous territory of Georgia. This is a continuation of the ethnic cleansing policy implemented in 2008. This action is directed towards the annexation of Georgia’s occupied territories. It is a crime before civilians which should receive a sharp response from the international community," continues the statement.
The action has been implemented within the framework of the program funded by Russia and includes the period of 2015-2017. The investment program on socio-economic development of South Ossetia for 2015-2017 assumes the expenditures of more than 4.2 billion Russian rubles (USD 70 mil.). This money will be spent on the implementation of 36 projects in such areas as housing construction, communal services, culture, education, and transport infrastructure. It is noteworthy that this is not the first financial aid allotted by the Russian government to de facto South Ossetia.
In 2008, after the recognition of independence of Georgia's breakaway region, Russia has spent billions of rubles on development of de facto South Ossetia. According to the leading geopolitical intelligence platform “Stratfor.com," it is the Russian government, which finances all the breakaway territories in the post-soviet region. Not surprising enough, for years the Russian policy has equally supported and triggered the confrontation on territories of post-soviet states.
It is important to mention that these territories largely depend on Russia's financial aid for survival because they are all economically isolated and run shadow economies. According to "Stratfor.com" various compiled estimates showthat Russia has annually been spending about USD 300 million in Abkhazia and at least USD100 million in South Ossetia and Transnistria.
The question is how long Russia will be able to lead such a policy and support conflicts in neighboring post-soviet states. The authorities of de facto Abkhazia and South Ossetia admit their budgets are still being formed to a large extenton the expense offunds received from Russia. In particular, more than 90% of the budget of de facto South Ossetia is formed from Russian subsidies, which means the current de facto government will remain less willing to consider an effective dialogue and protection of human rights as a way to conflict resolution, but will listen more carefully to the instructions from the Northern neighbor instead.