Evkurov stands for return of Ingush refugees to Prigorodny District of North Ossetia

The Prigorodny District is a part of North Ossetia, but Ingush refugees should return to their homes, as President of Ingushetia Yunus-Bek Evkurov has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Ingush President had insisted on return of refugees to the Prigorodny District during the Congress of Ingush Nation on February 1.

According to Mr Evkurov, he had discussed the situation in the Prigorodny District with Russian leaders and with the authorities of the Republic of South Ossetia-Alania (RSO-Alania). A request was announced to launch a separate programme for development of the Prigorodny District under the supervision of the Ministry of regional Development.

"We need to bring people back. We don't consider the deportation of 1944, we look only into 1992," Mr Evkurov said in his interview to the "Novaya Gazeta".

"However - and I emphasize it - today the issue of formal return of the Prigorodny District is not in the agenda. Yes, we reserve the right to pass over the knowledge that the Prigorodny District is primordial Ingush land to our descendants, and Ossetians should not deny it. Let the land remain now in the RSO-Alania, but the Ingushes should return back to their homes, and the proper conditions should be ensured," said President Evkurov.

In the opinion of President of Ingushetia, the same situation is with expectations of the Chechen Republic as to the Sunzha District and part of the Malgobek District.

The Ingush President also believes that the time has not come yet for return of the Russian-speaking population back to the Republic, as the main precondition for return is safety.