Statement on referendum in South Ossetia points to Russia's plans to affect Georgia

Moscow can use Anatoly Bibilov's proposal to include South Ossetia into Russia as a tool to put pressure on Georgia, the Georgian analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" have pointed out.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that South Ossetia will soon take legal steps to join Russia, as Anatoly Bibilov, the president of the partially recognized republic, said on March 30.

Paata Zakareishvili, a former State Minister of Georgia for Civil Equality and Reconciliation, has noted that the referendum issue was raised by Anatoly Bibilov not from the start of the election campaign or during the three television debates, but only on March 30. "Apparently, a new directive was downloaded from Moscow – to intimidate Georgia by the possibility of South Ossetia's merge with North Ossetia, so that Georgia stops irritating the official Moscow. If Georgia behaves quietly, then Russia will not annex South Ossetia. If the latter joins Russia, then Russia will destroy its only support in Georgia – the ruling "Georgian Dream-Democratic Movement" Party, Mr Zakareishvili has stated.

Irakli Aladashvili, the editor of the "Arsenali" military magazine, believes that holding a referendum is an attempt to provoke Georgia to armed actions.

"The anti-Russian sanctions adopted by the international community will lead to serious problems in Russia, which will also affect Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are financed by Russia. With the emergence of serious budgetary problems in Russia, it will no longer be able to invest into these regions in the same volume, which will spark anti-Russian sentiments in them," Irakli Aladashvili has concluded.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 2, 2022 at 05:13 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.