Alexander Dzasokhov: "Results of elections will determine whether we can deal with current problems"

On September 18, North Ossetia will elect not only State Duma deputies, but also the head of the republic. Experts predict that acting head Vyacheslav Bitarov will get this post. Former head of North Ossetia (1998–2005), vice-president of the Russian Council for International Affairs, deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO, Alexander Dzasokhov, spoke about the post-election expectations.

- What do you think about the upcoming elections to the lower house of the Russian parliament?

- I'm always interested in what is happening in the Caucasus, particularly in my native North Ossetia, and I'm especially interested now. As one poet said: "My heart is with the mountains even when I'm in Moscow". I wish all those who will be elected on September 18 to the State Duma and other authorities would focus on the development of the North-Caucasian Federal District's economic potential and persistently fight for the effective execution of projects of the Federal Target Program, interacting and relying on the coordinational role of the Ministry for North Caucasus Affairs, specifically created for this. Economic goals can be achieved only in conditions of stability and safety. The recently adopted "Strategy of State National Policy" is the main document in this field. The use of force, of course, plays an important role in the fight against terrorism and radicalism, but it cannot be the only instrument in the fight against this evil. Time demands qualitatively new daily promotional and informational initiatives. To put it simply, we need anything that can prevent ideologies of terrorism and radicalism from appearing.

- North Ossetia will elect its new leader. What is your prediction?

- There are high hopes for Vyacheslav Bitarov. Residents of the republic know that he was a successful leader of a large labor collective for many years, he was elected as a deputy of the republic's parliament several times, and he was very active. People who know him better than I do believe that he can create the administrative basis to resolve social problems.

- You should agree that there are much more different, more serious and unpredictable tasks, in addition to those you named.

- That's right. That is why I would like to stress that first as chairman of the government and later as the acting head of the republic, Bitarov acted and accumulated fresh, and therefore needed experience. Many people assess his regular meetings with the population of cities and villages and representatives of labor collectives positively. His recent meetings with heads of federal ministries and departments were very useful.

- What mobilization resources of the republic can you name?

- The elections of the republic's leader is a very important political stage. Their results will largely determine how we will deal with accumulated problems. All logical and responsible forces must unite after them. It's a difficult task, but there is no other way. It is the time to make efforts, so that there would be no dividing lines and barriers in society after the current election cycle. Consolidation of the people in the interests of the republic and the country corresponds to the interests of our time more than ever. The main priority is to save the image of the republic in issues of education, culture, health, engineering and technical ideas. Constant and thought out intensification of integrational steps between North and South Ossetia is the strategic task of our time.

- What are the unifying tasks for the entire North Caucasus?

- Historically and geopolitically, the North Caucasus begins in the north, from Rostov. The inclusion of Crimea in the Southern Federal District opens up new opportunities for large-scale cooperation between the North-Caucasian Federal District and the Southern Federal District in the south of Russia. I support the initiatives of North Ossetia on the establishment of economic and humanitarian ties with the Republic of Crimea. North Ossetia and other regions of the North Caucasus and southern Russia can also do many things for the development of cross-border cooperation with neighboring countries.