Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of March 25-31

Three years after terror acts in Moscow metro; mass checks of NPOs in Russia, including in country's south; military exercises in the area of Russian Black Sea shore; another round of Geneva Debates, where the parties failed to agree on a joint statement on non-use of force; adoption amendments to Constitution of Georgia and the first application for running for the presidency; ASF hotbeds in North Ossetia, – look these and other events in the Caucasus in the review of the week of March 25-31, 2013, prepared by the "CaucasianKnot".

Three years after terror acts in Moscow metro

March 29 was three years after the terror acts committed in metro stations "Lubyanka" and "Park Kultury" of the Moscow metro network. Then, two explosions triggered in these stations of the Moscow metro killed 40 and wounded over 100 persons; the State Unitary Enterprise (SUE) "Moscow Metro" suffered property damage worth about 15 million roubles. According to the FSB (Federal Security Bureau), these terror acts were committed by female suicide bombers – the natives of Dagestan Maryam Sharipova, the widow of Magomedali Vagabov, one of the leaders of Dagestani militants (he was killed in a special operation in August 2010), and Djennet Abdurakhmanova, the widow of Umalat Magomedov, the leader of Dagestani militants, who was killed in late December 2009. The responsibility for these terror acts was taken by the leader of North-Caucasian militants Dokku Umarov; according to his version, the actions were a revenge for the deaths of peaceful residents of Chechnya and Ingushetia in the course of special operations conducted by Russian services in these republics.

The inquiry in the criminal case opened on the facts of these terror acts continues; it is conducted by employees of the Chief Investigatory Department of the Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), as it was reported by the ICRF on March 29. On the eve of the anniversary of the terror acts, the MPs of the State Duma of Russia asked the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) to check the spending of funds allotted to ensure safety in the metro.

Mass checks of NPOs in Russia, including in Russia's south

The checks conducted by supervisory and law enforcement bodies in a number of non-profit organizations (NPOs) of Russia, including in the Southern and North-Caucasian Federal Districts (SFD and NCFD) from mid-March, continued in the course of the last week. On March 25, a check was launched by the GPO in the office of the Amnesty International in Moscow. On the same day, the office of the movement "For Human Rights" in Moscow was visited – with an off-schedule check – by officials of the Ministry of Justice, the GPO and the Tax Service. The leader of the movement Lev Ponomaryov said that the check was illegitimate, and the movement would not present any documents to the inspectors. The human rights activist stated his readiness to defend his viewpoint in court. On March 28, the GPO made an inspection of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial". On the same day, the check was conducted in the office of the Moscow Helsinki Group. On March 27, inspectors came to the central office of the public organization "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus" located in the city of Maikop. Activists-ecologists have stated that special attention was paid to everything related to preparation for the Olympiad in Sochi.

Leaders of a number of organizations state violations in the course of the checks as such; while Andrei Rudomakha, the coordinator of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus", does not exclude that the check of his organization by the FSB and the GPO is aimed to exert pressure thereon. On March 28, the Russia's President Vladimir Putin said, at his meeting with the Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin, that the conducted inspections of NPOs are aimed to check the legality of their activities and the compliance of these activities to the legislation of the Russian Federation, but the Ombudsman should supervise the course of the inspections. The GPO has promised to observe all the provisions of the law and operatively consider all the applications lodged by NPOs about violations of their rights and legitimate interests.

Military exercises on Black Sea shore of Russia

On March 28, military exercises were launched in the area of the Black Sea shore with participation of 36 ships from Sebastopol and Novorossiysk, and aviation. On March 29, the exercises were visited by President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu. In the course of the check of the combat readiness a marine battle was staged against the ships of as conditional enemy, after which the large assault landing ships landed troops onto the shore near the training ground Opuk near Feodosiya. The air support was undertaken by marine attack aircrafts. As reported by the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD), after the active phase of the exercises, the troops were rolled up and began marching to permanent deployment sites. The active phase of the exercises ended in combat shooting from ships undertaken on March 30.

The exercises were criticized by the MFA of Georgia, which has stated that they were disproportional to the expected threats and failed to meet the interests of stability in Europe. The NATO has perceived the exercises calmly, said Alexander Vershbow, NATO Deputy Secretary General.

Another round of Geneva Debates has failed to agree on the joint statement on non-use of force

On March 26-27, Geneva hosted the 23^rd round of talks aimed to ensure safety and stability in Transcaucasia. The parties of the debates again failed to coordinate a joint statement on non-use of force; however, they noted a calm situation in the border zone between South Ossetia and Georgia. It was stated that cases of violating the air space and border crossings were fixed. Murat Djioev, the head of the South-Ossetian delegation, has noted that the co-chairs of the South-Ossetian party had justified the works of reinforcing the state border "by the sovereign right of South Ossetia to strengthen its border."

Adoption of amendments to Constitution of Georgia and first candidate for presidency

On March 27, the president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili signed amendments to the Constitution, which partially restrict the powers of the head of the state, including the ban to form the government without the consent of the parliament. The amendments are temporary, and will be cancelled with the switchover to the new wording of the Constitution in autumn of 2013 – after inauguration of the new president of Georgia. In the first reading, the amendments were supported by 135 MPs, in the second reading – by 123 MPs, and in the third reading – at the extraordinary sitting of the parliament on March 25, the amendments were finally adopted with support of 114 votes of the MPs.

On March 26, Shalva Natelashvili, the head of the Labour Party of Georgia, said that he will run for the post at the presidential election in October 2013. According to his story, he is going to restore the earlier presidential powers, as he wants to bring justice to people. Apart from Mr Natelashvili, nobody else has so far expressed his or her intention to take part in the race.

ASF hotbeds fixed in two districts of North Ossetia

Last week, the African swine fever (ASF) was revealed in two districts of North Ossetia. The diagnosis was made based on the essays take from six pigs from private households in the settlement of Ramonovo, Alagir District, and from one animal from the village of Nort, Ardon District. This is the fifth ASF case in the territory of the republic. The necessary steps are undertaken in the area to localize and eliminate the outbreak.