Renaming South Ossetia to the state of Alania. North Ossetia may be renamed the Republic of Alania

The President of South Ossetia signed a decree on holding a referendum on renaming the republic to South Ossetia-Alania. The plebiscite will take place on the presidential election day, April 9. Leonid Tibilov came up with this initiative in December 2015.

The decree of South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov states:

“Guided by the desire of the people of the Republic of South Ossetia to restore the ancient name of their state as an integral part of the cultural and historical heritage and their identity, based on historical and spiritual continuity between generations and paying tribute to the grateful memory of those who heroically defended and preserved the lands of their ancestors for those living today, Turning to the historical origins of the revived tradition of Alan statehood, recognizing its continuity and striving to strengthen the foundations of its reliable future, in accordance with paragraph 16 of Article 50 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Ossetia, I signed a Decree calling a referendum of the Republic of South Ossetia. A referendum on restoring the historical name of our state will be held throughout the Republic of South Ossetia on Sunday, April 9, 2017.”

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The idea of ​​renaming South Ossetia to South Ossetia-Alania is supported by many both in Tskhinvali and Vladikavkaz. However, some of my interlocutors saw the combination of presidential elections with a referendum as a smart pre-election move that could bring additional votes to the current president.

In 1994, the first president of North Ossetia, Akhsarbek Galazov, in difficult socio-political conditions, made a fundamental decision and renamed the republic North Ossetia-Alania. At that time there was a crisis in Russia, the consequences of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict were acute, and the Ossetian people needed a unifying national idea.

Leader of the Ossetia Foundation for Promoting Interethnic Relations Lev Laliev believes that this step should have been taken a long time ago:

“This should have been done earlier. Not now, before the presidential elections, but after his victory in 2012, when Tibilov had just become president. This is a big step for rapprochement and unification. In order for our people not to remain divided, it is necessary to establish a common name for the republics. Every person strives to leave something good behind. Leonid Tibilov retaining his post is a plus for him, but even if he is not elected, it is still a plus for him. Under the name of Alanya, we must strive for unification.”

Leader of the Communist Party of South Ossetia Stanislav Kochiev says that the idea of ​​​​renaming the republic “was in the air” and Leonid Tibilov proposed it back in 2015, “because the processes should take place in parallel with North Ossetia.” Stanislav Kochiev says:

“Ossetians are direct descendants and heirs of Alans. Now there are many contenders for this inheritance from our neighbors. But we are the heirs of cultural, moral, and material wealth. We must return our historical name, but we must also preserve Ossetia, the whole world knows us as Ossetians now. Combining a referendum with presidential elections is a financial saving, and in material terms it is the least expensive thing. I am confident that the referendum will attract voters to the ballot box and increase turnout on April 9.”

Supporter of ex-president Eduard Kokoity Taimuraz Kokoev supports the president’s initiative, but believes that renaming alone is not enough to strengthen national identity:

“I believe that the current South Ossetian government is reacting to the attempts of our eastern neighbors, who are persistently trying to lay claim to the Alan heritage, but just renaming Alania will not change the socio-economic situation of the population of both Ossetian republics. There must be a specific program for the revival of Alanya, including spiritual, cultural and ideological. Revival must occur in the self-awareness of each of us who considers himself an Alan. Renaming alone is not enough. Politicians who undertake to rename the republic Alanya are responsible for the further development of this idea, for the revival of Alanya.”

Publicist and political scientist Leonid Kochiev believes that the decision of the South Ossetian president to hold a referendum on the day of the presidential elections serves to increase Leonid Tibilov’s rating:

“I am absolutely convinced that combining the referendum on renaming South Ossetia with the presidential elections is a PR move. I can’t say whether this is good or bad. Why rename it to Alanya. Iryston originally means the country of the Aryans, our ancestors, and this has been proven by European and world science. Alania sounds, but then why not call it Scythia, Sarmatia. There is a country of the Aryans - Iryston, I can suggest options for the name Alan Republic Iryston or As-Alan Republic Iryston, I am convinced that the name “Iryston” must definitely remain in the name of our state.”

North Ossetian public figure Tamerlan Tsomaev considers it natural to rename South Ossetia:

“In the future, the reunification of the south and north of Ossetia is inevitable, so the southern part of Ossetia also needs to be renamed. And then Ossetia-Alania will be united within Russia.”

In accordance with paragraph 16 of Article 50 of the Constitution, a referendum will be held on the question: “Do you agree with the amendment to Part 1 of Article 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Ossetia, stating it in the following wording: 1. The Republic of South Ossetia - the State of Alania - is a sovereign democratic legal state, created as a result of self-determination of the people of the Republic of South Ossetia. The names Republic of South Ossetia and State of Alania are equivalent.”

The text contains toponyms and terminology used in the self-proclaimed republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

Tskhinvali, February 21 – Sputnik, Maria Kotaeva. Historians and politicians of South Ossetia discussed the upcoming referendum on renaming the republic. Politicians considered the decision of the head of the republic and the renaming option proposed by Leonid Tibilov to be correct. The academic community did not agree with the wording of the referendum question and considered it incorrect to combine the referendum and presidential elections.

On February 7, Leonid Tibilov signed a decree calling for a referendum, which will be held on the same day as the presidential elections - April 9. Citizens are invited to vote for amendments to Part 1 of Article 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Ossetia, stating it in the following wording: “The Republic of South Ossetia - the State of Alania is a sovereign democratic legal state created as a result of self-determination of the people of the Republic of South Ossetia. The names Republic of South Ossetia and the State of Alania are equivalent.” .

The head of the Department of History of Ossetia and Caucasian Studies of South Ossetian State University, Professor Yuri Gagloti questioned the appropriateness of the word “state” in the new name of the republic.

“The word state confuses me, and I don’t understand who the author of this project is. As far as I know, there were three options for renaming the name of our republic and the word “state” did not appear in any of them. For us, it is more logical to rename the Republic of South Ossetia - Alania. We already have a precedent in the north. On the map it is the territory of one ethnic group. And if in the future we unite with North Ossetia, then there should be one name,” Gagloti said.

The head of the IR media center, a teacher at the Department of History of South Ossetian State University, Irina Gagloeva, called the presidential decree on renaming the republic unprepared and opposed combining elections and a referendum.

“I doubt that the option “state of Alania” was chosen as one that suits the majority of the inhabitants of our republic. Holding a referendum and presidential elections on the same day is considered a measure of saving budget finances, but we are put in a framework when we are forced to vote and a forced vote with this wording the issue of renaming may affect the results of the referendum,” Gagloeva said.

Deputy head of the presidential administration Kosta Pukhaev supported the presidential decree on renaming the republic and said that “the name of the state of Alania will restore the historical rights of the Ossetians.”

He noted that the very idea of ​​holding a referendum had already attracted a reaction from the Karachay-Cherkess Republican Public Organization "Congress of the Karachay People", which expressed their disagreement in a letter addressed to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“No one can dictate to us what we should call our republic and encroach on facts proven by historians,” Pukhaev said.

The presidential decree was also supported by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Ossetia Murat Dzhioev, the judge of the Constitutional Court Alan Dzhioev and the rector of South Ossetia State University Vadim Tedeev.

“The equal use of the “state of Alania” along with the Republic of South Ossetia fully meets the aspirations of the Ossetian people. Leonid Kharitonovich mentioned this name back in November 2015. Since then, expert councils have been held more than once, at which this issue, among others, was discussed. I am convinced that this is the right option,” said the head of the South Ossetian Foreign Ministry.

Professor of the Department of Philological Sciences of South Ossetia State University Zoya Bitarova believes that adding the “state of Alania” to the name of the Republic of South Ossetia will strengthen the historical reality and added that the issue of renaming South Ossetia to Alania first appeared in the 90s, during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, but “ “At that time it was not a priority due to the difficult situation.”

Former member of parliament, head of the department of Ossetian language and general linguistics at South Ossetian State University Yuri Dzitsoyty called holding a referendum on the day of the presidential election “undemocratic.”

“The holding of a referendum should not be tied to the presidential elections. This does not exist in any state, and goes against the norms of democracy. Parliament or the president must take responsibility for postponing the referendum to another date,” Dzizzoity said.

Director of the Museum of North Ossetian Treasures, Mikhail Mamiev, said that “pulling the Alan blanket” in the Caucasus is a special project behind which are certain individuals interested in fomenting destabilization in the North Caucasus.

“In world history, the question of identifying Alans and Ossetians has not been raised for a long time, and the ethnogenesis of the Alan people does not require confirmation for the neighbors of the Ossetians. It is clear who is behind the Alan legacy project, which is aimed at inciting interethnic destabilization in the Caucasus,” Mamiev said.

According to preliminary data, Bibilov, who won the presidential elections in South Ossetia, announced the people’s desire to return to the Russian Federation.

According to preliminary data, Speaker of the South Ossetian Parliament Anatoly Bibilov wins the first round of the presidential election. As stated by the head of the Central Election Commission of the republic, Bella Plieva, referring to the preliminary results of the Central Election Commission, according to preliminary data, Bibilov is gaining 57.98%, the current president Leonid Tibilov is 30%, Alan Gagloev is 11.01%. A total of 77 polling stations were opened, five of them in Russia. The overall turnout was 81%. To win, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the votes.

In addition to the election of the head of the republic, a referendum was also held on renaming the republic. According to Bella Plieva, giving South Ossetia the equivalent name “State of Alania” was supported by 78% of voters. The final results of the referendum will be announced within five days.

Despite the fact that between the leaders of the presidential race, the Speaker of the Parliament of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov and the current head of the republic Leonid Tibilov there was no fundamental political difference, but some intrigue still remained, the president of the Foundation for the Unity of the Russian and Georgian Peoples is sure Vladimir Khomeriki. According to the Bell of Russia’s interlocutor, during the short history of independence, the republic’s leaders change quite often, all this suggests that the majority of its residents are dissatisfied with the isolating international situation.

“If you do not compare status, temperament and character, as well as minor differences in political views, there is practically no fundamental difference between Bibilov and Tibilov. Moreover, Ossetian society is for the most part united and fully oriented towards integration with Russia. Therefore, the Ossetian people will continue to choose a leader who will be completely focused on the Russian Federation,” the expert explained.

New President Anatoly Bibilov assured that relations with the Russian Federation cannot undergo any changes for the worse. On the contrary, we will increase them. According to him, “the agreement that we signed with the Russian Federation, of course, will be implemented and integration into the Russian Federation will proceed.”

The only thing that can change in the republic after the elections is
renewal of the personnel of the country's leadership, believes the coordinator of the working group of the Center for the Study of Central Asia and the Caucasus of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Skakov. According to the expert, those personnel who were under Tibilov largely inherited from the former president Eduard Kokoity, apparently, will be replaced, and this is only good, because you cannot stay in power for too long.

“The political leadership of the republic has a very close relationship with Moscow, where there are no fundamental contradictions. Moreover, today in the republic there is no longer such a thing as clanism, which just a few years ago were actively fighting among themselves. The past elections and referendum betrayed a more distinct structure of statehood. Previously, there was tension between the Russian Federation and the republic related to the misuse of subsidized funds that the Russian Federation allocated to South Ossetia, but today the corruption component has been minimized as much as possible,” the expert noted.

“The referendum on renaming South Ossetia to the Republic of Alania is a more significant political event in the history of the republic than the presidential elections. The renaming will be the next step in rapprochement in order to prepare a motivational platform for reunification with the Russian Federation and will move us even further away from Georgia. Today, the ground is gradually being prepared for the unification of the same-rooted brothers - the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and the Republic of South Ossetia-Alania, so we can finally put an end to the issue of returning the republic to Georgia. Renaming will only strengthen the motivation of the population to join the Russian Federation,” explained the publication’s interlocutor.

In turn, as Anatoly Bibilov, the leader in the presidential elections in the republic, told RIA Novosti, Tskhinvali will continue to discuss with Moscow the prospects of holding a referendum on South Ossetia’s accession to Russia.

Bibilov spoke about this referendum earlier as speaker of parliament. According to him, “there is a certain agreement between him and President Tibilov, which requires careful consultation with Russian colleagues, because this directly concerns Russia.” Bibilov noted that Russian law allows this, but still depends on the current international situation.

As for the position of Georgian society, there is also complete unity regarding the territorial integrity of the country, and all ongoing elections and referendums will never be recognized even with the slightest reservations. According to David Purtskhvanidze, the Georgian side will try to throw information at the international community. through Geneva or some other format. However, this will not move the territorial conflict forward due to the principled position of Tbilisi, which does not want to conduct a direct dialogue with the authorities of the republics it does not recognize, but only limits itself to protest statements.

“The chances of resolving the territorial dispute through various forms a few years ago were quite real, in particular using the confederation scheme, but the Ossetians and Abkhazians lost faith in international negotiation platforms, which turned into a regular farce, with considerable financial costs. Over the course of several years, about 40 meetings were held in the Geneva format, on which about $5 million was spent, with zero results from such meetings,” the expert explained.

Integration between Russia and South Ossetia is in full swing. Thus, the majority of residents of South Ossetia are Russian citizens, have the appropriate rights, and there are programs to increase salaries and pensions to the level of the Russian Federation. Formerly President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin instructed the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, after reaching an agreement with South Ossetia, to sign an agreement on the inclusion of individual units of the country's armed forces in the RF Armed Forces.

But whether the idea of ​​the republic joining the Russian Federation is relevant for the Russian leadership remains a big question.

Anatoly Molchanov

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The candidates for the post of President of South Ossetia are Speaker of Parliament Anatoly Bibilov, KGB officer Alan Gagloev and the current head of the republic Leonid Tibilov. It was he who repeatedly came up with the initiative for a referendum.

Therefore, voters will also have to answer yes or no to the question of whether they agree with the amendment to Part 1 of Article 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Ossetia as follows: “The Republic of South Ossetia - the State of Alania - is a sovereign democratic state created as a result of self-determination of the people of the Republic of South Ossetia . The names “Republic of South Ossetia” and “State of Alania” are equivalent.”

• President of South Ossetia Leonid Tibilov
• RIA News

According to Leonid Tibilov, he made the decision to hold a referendum “guided by the desire of the people of the Republic of South Ossetia to restore the ancient name of their state as an integral part of the cultural and historical heritage and their identity.”

On April 7, Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and the US State Department condemned the fact of holding the referendum, calling it illegitimate.

Right to Alanya

Alans are Iranian-speaking nomadic tribes of Scythian-Sarmatian origin. The unification of the Alan and Caucasian tribes led to the emergence of the kingdom of Alania, which existed in the 1st-14th centuries and fell under the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols. Historically, Alania was the name given to the territory occupied today by Ingushetia, Chechnya, Kabardino-Balkaria, partly Dagestan and North Ossetia.

Thus, in the fall of 1994, the Republic of North Ossetia added the word “Alania” to its name.

In 1998, the authorities of Ingushetia assigned the name Magas to the new capital, founded in 1994, the same as the capital of historical Alania. According to the Ingush, it was in its place that a new city was built.

In 2015, on the initiative of the mayor of Magas Beslan Tsechoev, the triumphal arch “Alan Gate” was erected. At its official opening, the head of the republic, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, remarked: “The Alan Gate” should serve as a reminder of the glorious history of the people, our ancestors.”

• Arch "Alan Gate" at the entrance to the city of Magas
• RIA News

At the end of February 2017, a petition “Rename the current Republic of Ingushetia to the Republic of Alania” was published on the Change.org website.

The reaction from the Ossetian society was not long in coming. On March 5, in the capital of North Ossetia, Vladikavkaz, about 500 people staged a protest against the renaming of Ingushetia. Yunus-Bek Evkurov responded by assuring the Ossetians that there was no talk of renaming Ingushetia to Alania.

Karachay-Cherkessia also lays claim to the Alanian inheritance. Here are the preserved monuments of the Alan period - the Zelenchuk temple complex in the area of ​​​​the village of Arkhyz. The Karachais are convinced that the capital Magas was located there, and not on the lands of modern Ingushetia. In February 2017, the Karachays even turned to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with a request to prevent the renaming of South Ossetia to Alania, since this “fundamentally contradicts the real facts of history.”

History and political context

It is interesting that from a historical point of view, most likely, everyone is right: the ancestors of the Ossetians, Ingush, and Karachay-Balkars were part of the Alan tribal union, which became the basis for the formation of the influential Alanian kingdom. Both the republics within Russia and the partially recognized independent state of South Ossetia want to be the true heirs of Alania.

“Historically, it was believed that the inheritance of the Alans is the only ancient state that existed in the North Caucasus, which had a certain powerful and warlike image. Of course, many peoples would like to adopt such a legacy of their ancestors,” political scientist and specialist on Caucasus issues Evgeny Krutikov emphasized in a conversation with RT.

In his opinion, for South Ossetia, a change of name could really become a turning point in its history: “The question is not only in linguistics, but in the fact that the president who will be elected could carry out a new economic restoration program, relying on his own strength. All this can be presented as the creation of a new Alan state.”

There are many examples of countries renaming themselves for ideological reasons, the expert continues.

“Of course, the people will vote for the majority out of emotion, without going into the political component. People are annoyed by the very word “Ossetia” because it is of Georgian origin. And so they can already say: “We are building a new state - Alania,” noted Evgeny Krutikov.

Political scientist, member of the expert council of the Ministry of National Affairs of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania Igor Dulaev adds that this will most likely be followed by an expansion of economic cooperation between Russia and South Ossetia and a deepening of partnership in the defense sector.

I read a lot of articles and comments about the fact that we are Alans! We need to rename ourselves Alans, and the state - Alania!
But besides this, I also read comments on other articles where the same Alans stoop to insults, swearing and swearing at each other. Sometimes even women.
If we want to call ourselves Alans, if we want to be worthy of bearing their proud name, then perhaps we should start not with shouts about renaming, but with ourselves?
After all, it is enough just to adhere to simple human truths, values ​​and principles that our ancestors followed. They are even formulated today. Some people call them the Code of Alan Honor, others the charter, but I liked the name “Allon aefsarmy domentae”. I will provide the text below. But here's what I'm getting at. Look at your comments on any news regarding the upcoming elections, any news that has at least some political aspect. Personally, I really hate reading this. What are we stooping to? And at the same time we shout that we are Alans! Do not devalue this word, just as the word “aegdau” has long been devalued. Start by working on yourself, start conforming to the image of an Alan man or an Alan woman, and then it will not matter at all what our republic will be called, if the spirit inherent in our ancestors lives within us.

1) Remember always and everywhere, you are a descendant of an ancient and noble people, and therefore you have no right to an unworthy act.
2) Know and honor the history of your people and region - this knowledge will strengthen your spirit, exalt your soul, and give strength in difficult moments of life.
3) Do not consider yourself an Ossetian (Alan) until you have mastered the language, customs, song and dance art of your people.
4) Constantly work on your physical improvement. Temper and strengthen your health to be worthy of your great ancestors.
5) Know and remember your ancestry from the founder of the family. Treat old people with great respect, and most of all your parents who gave you life.
6) Assimilate the truth as the highest commandment of your ancestors - the greatness of the Alan (Ossetian) was never measured by wealth. But only a measure of courage and labor given in the name of the Fatherland.
7) Always remember that everything good and bad that you do in life will come back to you a hundredfold.
8) In a conversation, listen more, talk less and never brag. Among people there are many who are smarter and stronger than you.
9) Beware of the thought: “Why are you better than me?”, which destroyed Alanya many times. If you are a true patriot, prove it with deeds.
10) Avoid quarrels and scandals. In a quarrel with a fool, you will become stupider, but it is more useful to simply listen to an intelligent interlocutor.
11) Be moderate in food and drink - this is one of the requirements of Alan ethics. Celebrations and funerals are not a reason for gluttony.
12) Choose a bride (groom) not only by the beauty of the face and body, but by the presence of intelligence and honor, according to the traditions of the surname and family.
13) Never offend anyone's national and religious feelings. Every nation is a gift from God.
14) Be proud and honest. Neither hunger, nor cold, nor the fear of death should break your spirit if you are a true son of the Alan people.
15) Try not to approach this canon of honor more than death. May God save you from poverty and shame.