DECREE N 2  on Arrangement of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast issued by the Cen­tral Executive Committee of All-Georgia and the Council of Public Commissars of Georgia

Central Executive Committee of the Socialist Georgia and the Council of Public Commissars of Georgia decrees:

1. The South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast shall be the part of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia; Tskhinvali shall be announced as the Center of the mentioned Oblast.

2. The territory of the South-Ossetian Autonomous Okrug shall be determined as follows:

a) The northern border lies by the Major Chain of the Caucasus along the southern border of the Autonomous Republic of Highlanders.

b) The western border-line starts from the border with the Soviet Socialist Autonomous Republic of Highlanders at the outfall of the River Chanchakhi, crosses the altitude of 8 872 and goes to Mount Tsitelta, crosses the River Chanchakh and goes by Mount Geske,  stretches to the south-west till Mount Dzvari at the altitude of 6 062, then it goes down to Mount Veluanti and Mount Kudevi at the altitude of 7 616; then it goes in the east – south direction through the village Perevi and reaches Mount Perangi at the altitude of 5 201 to the west of the River Dzirula; it then crosses the latter and Kaprebis-Seri chain; at the altitude of 4 172 goes along the River Charat-Khevi and across the Kaprebis-Seri chain stretches the River Lopani.

c) To the South: the border goes by Corchan-Tsnelisi road, crosses the River Lopani and down to Tsnelisi turns on the north-east; goes through the village Atotsi, crosses the River Frona down to the village Okoni;  then it goes to the South along the east bank of the river Frona; crosses the left inflow of Frona down to the village Dvani;  goes along Dvani-Gujaburi road and crosses the River Didi Liakhvi on the south of Tskhinvali and up to the village Ergneti; then is crosses the village Eredve and the River Patara Liakhvi up to the village Arbo; goes by the River Charebula up to Mereti and Koshki villages; then it turns to the south-east and crosses the River Orteva at the village Plavismani and the River Adzura and Mejuda at the villages of Adzvisa and Mejekhiskhevi; the border line goes to the north-east of the villages of Kirbalisa and Bershueti, crosses the River Tartla down to the village of Tsinakari and the right bank of the river Lekhura at the village of Khurvaleti going round to the villages: Orchosani, Abrevi and others; crosses the River Lekhuri at the village of Sakorintlo and Odzisi, the River Ksani up to Odzisi and reaches Mount Ipani.

d) To the East: the border-line from Mount Ipani turns to the North and crosses Khnartsvsa, village Mikeliantkari, Irmis Sopeli and other villages; turns round from the north at the altitude of 6 409 passing by the remains of the Old Church and goes along the River Alevi; crosses Mounts Chartala, Sapersheti and Takhti;  stretches along the River Aragvi and Ksani inflows and crosses the hills of: Kurkutsa, Munkhuji and Lomisi Pass at the ruins of Monastery and stretches until the Jamuri Passing; crosses the right inflows of AragviGanisa, Ereti and others and goes along the upper part of the River Aragvi; then turns to the west, crosses Nount Lazg-Tsiti and goes to the water-dividing chain between the River Terek and the River Didi Liakhvi finally reaching Mount Vailk-Pars.

3. The Central Executive Committee and the local Soviets (councils)  shall be the governing organs of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast.

4. The Public Commissariat shall be established for the management of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast: a) Internal Affairs, b) Justice, c) Education, d) Health, e) Labour and Social Protection, f) Agrarian, g) Food Industry, h) Finances, I) Economy and j) Workers and peasants Inspectorate.

Note 1. The Extraordinary Council of the Public Commissars will not be set up and the Public Commissariats shall exercise their duties as the departments of the Central Executive Committee.

Note 2. Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Trade shall remain under the authority of the central agencies of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia.

The military affairs shall be under the competence of the Military Commissariat, which is under the direct subordination to the Military and Navy Commissariat of Georgia and it will be arranged  by the latter upon the consent of the Central Executive Committee of South Ossetia.

The fighting against the counter-revolution will remain under the competence of the Extraordinary Commission of Georgia.

5. In order to arrange and protect the unified financial and economic system on the territory of the Georgian SSR, the commissariats on FOOD, Finances, Labour, Economy and Workers and Peasants inspectorate of the South Ossetia shall remain subordinate to the relevant commissariats of the Georgian SSR.  The instructions and measures of the latter shall be carried out by the public commissariats of South Ossetia through the Central Executive Committee of South Ossetia.

The Public Commissars specified for in Article 5 shall be appointed by the relevant Commissars of the Georgian SSR upon the consent of the Central Executive Committee of South Ossetia and they will be approved by the latter.

6. The following Public Commissariats of South Ossetia: Internal Affairs, Justice, Education, Health, Agrarian and Social Protection shall be independent in their function and accountable to the Central Organs of the Georgian SSR through the Central Executive Committee of South Ossetia.

7. The Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia shall provide every necessary financial and technical means to the Autonomous Oblast of South Ossetia from the state resources upon instructions by the Central Executive Committee of Georgia through the Central Executive Committee of South Ossetia.

8. The issue of the administrative entities that are attached to the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast shall be decided by the joint commission composing of representatives of the Central Executive Committee of South Ossetia, Executive of Committee of neighbouring District and of the Central Government of the Georgian SSR.

The aforementioned Commission shall be entrusted with the task of completing its work not later than on 1 May of 1922.

Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of Georgia Ph. Makharadze

Chairman of the Council of Public Commissars of the Georgian SSR T. Kalandadze

20 April 1922

(Messenger of the Commissariat of Internal Affairs, N 33, 1922, p. 81-84; Central State Historical Archive of the Nearest Future of Georgia, f. 607, desc. 1, file 754, p. 4)