At Moscow forum, public figures and politicians criticize authorities of South Ossetia

Currently, Moscow hosts the first Russian-South-Ossetian of the public and political organizations, which brought together over 200 representatives of different organizations from South Ossetia; many of them came to Moscow intentionally to take part in the forum.

The opening of the forum was preceded by a number of incidents. Initially, it was planned to hold the event in the conference hall of the "Kosmos" Hotel. However, after the information appeared that it could be unsafe for the participants, the organizers had to hastily change the venue. Now, the forum takes place in the "Renaissance" Hotel, located in the Olympic Avenue.

According to one of the organizers of the forum, President of the group of companies "Stroyprogress" Albert Dzhussoev, the authorities of South Ossetia undertake numerous attempts to disrupt the event. Mr Dzhussoev says that President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity sent special units of his KGB to Moscow with the mission to disrupt the forum. Also, members of the parliament of South Ossetia appeared near the entrance to the "Renaissance" Hotel trying to dissuade people from attending the forum.

All the delegates to the forum recollected the events of August 2008; all of them expressed tough criticism of the incumbent authorities of South Ossetia. It was reported that when the war burst out, all the officials hastily left Tskhinvali, leaving the city without management, while peaceful citizens were dying there. "After Russia had defended South Ossetia, and the war was over, bureaucrats returned and started plundering humanitarian aid," said the delegates.

Also, the audience imposed guilt for South Ossetia's non-readiness to the war against Georgia on local authorities, who failed to take the due measures, although understood that the conflict was inevitable.

The authorities of South Ossetia, to whom appeals are addressed to resign, in their turn, accuse the opposition of an attempt of constitutional overthrow.

According to Mr Dzhussoev, today South Ossetia sees a real exodus of its citizens. Eduard Kokoity received the republic with 70,000 of population; now, some 12-14,000 left.

At the same time, as reported by the IA "Osinform", the forum "has turned over into a closed corporate breakfast with participation of the Moscow Georgian community and Georgian TV," emphasizing that there were no delegates from South Ossetia there.

Kazimir Pliev, Chairman of the "People's Party" and deputy of the South-Ossetian Parliament, told the IA "Res" by telephone from Moscow that no MPs were admitted to the forum.