RESOLUTION OF THE 1^ST SESSION OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE’S DEPUTIES OF SOUTH OSSETIA OF THE 1^ST CONVOCATION on preparing and holding the Union Referendum of 17 March 1991 in South Ossetia

The 1^st session of the Council of People’s Deputies of South Ossetia notes that in accordance to the Resolution of the Supreme Council of the USSR of 16 January 1991 “on Organizing and measures for securing holding the Union Referendum on 17 March 1991” the all-Union referendum will be held on maintaining the USSR as the federation of the republics equal in rights.

In the most of republics the central republican commissions have been set up; the other measures for securing the citizens’ participation in universal voting are also carried out.

However, the highest authorities of certain republics, including the Republic of Georgia, pose resistance to the implementation of the Decision of the 4^th Congress of People’s Deputies of the USSR on holding the referendum. Through such acts the citizens will be deprived of possibility to take part in the referendum. These acts run counter to the Union Constitution and the laws and represent the violation of human right to participate in the state management recognized in the Universal Declaration on Human rights and in other international-legal documents.

Taking into account the opinion of the majority of population of South Ossetia on the all-Union referendum on retaining the USSR as the renewed federation of sovereign states, the 1^st session of the Council of People’s Deputies of the first convocation of 26 February 1991 decrees:

1. To hold the referendum on 17 March 1991 in the whole territory of South Ossetia as the implementation of para 3 of the Resolution of the Supreme Council of the USSR of 25 February of 1991 “on Implementation of Resolution of the Supreme Council of the USSR “on Organizing and Measures for Holding the all-Union Referendum on 17 March 1991”.

2. To set up the central commission for the all-Union referendum in South Ossetia and approve its composition (attached).

3. Due to the special circumstances to recommend to the Central Electoral Commission of the Union Referendum in South Ossetia not to create precincts and their commission. For holding the said Referendum to set up the electoral precincts within the Military Units of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR and the Ministry of Interior of the USSR deployed on the territory of South Ossetia.

4. To ask the Supreme Council of the USSR to entrust the Ministry of Interior of the USSR with the task of delivering the additional internal troops across the whole territory of South Ossetia due to the blockade of the city and the districts of South Ossetia by the armed formations, and for securing the preparation and organization of the Union Referendum.

5. To ask the Central Commission of the Union Referendum to provide the Central Commission of the Union Referendum in the South Ossetia with all necessary materials.

6. To ask the Supreme Council of North Ossetian Soviet Socialist Republic to provide the necessary assistance to the refugees from South Ossetia in participating in the Referendum.

First Deputy of the Chairman of the Executive

Council of the People’s Deputies of South Ossetia G. Khugaev

Secretary of the Executive Council

of the People’s Deputies of South Ossetia B. Petoev

26 February 1991

(Conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Documents 1989-2006 (Supplement to “Kavkazskie Sborniki”, edition #1). Collected and commented by M. A. Volkhonski, B. A. Zakharov, N. Y. SIlaev. – Moscow, 2008, p. 196-197/in Russian)