Tskhinvali announces damage from war with Georgia

The Mayoralty of Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, has summed up the inspection of the available city's housing stock, which suffered from the warfare in August of 2008.

"20 apartment houses are subject to demolition, 127 houses were badly damages, 129 more received medium and light damage. 265 apartments with a total area of 15,900 square meters and 673 private households with a total area of 678,000 square meters were burnt down or completely ruined," runs the statement of the Mayoralty of Tskhinvali.

The ITAR-TASS reports that according to the Mayoralty, a total of 2606 houses with a total area of 547,260 square meters received medium and light damage.

Russia has promised to restore dwelling houses, objects of social destination and housing and communal services of South Ossetia. It plans to allocate 8.5 billion roubles to this end.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that earlier Russia had promised to give 10 billion roubles on restoration of the republic. In late August, 2008, 1.5 billion roubles of the funds were provided for financing of urgent works. Moscow now states that the money was allocated as an emergency, without due control, and in order to consume the remaining sum a new mechanism is required.

So far, the civil works in restored objects of South Ossetia were suspended.

Olga Allyonova, a "Kommersant" correspondent, writes that local residents are direct victims of restoration problems. In January and February, local budget-funded state employees, financed by Moscow, failed to get their salaries in time - they could do it only on March 8, and the city is full of rumours that the following occasion will be in June only.

Besides, according to Inara Gabaraeva, head of the Committee of Fire Victims, contractors are doing restoration selectively, superficially and with poor quality; for example, many replaced roofs of high-rise buildings are leaking.