Akhalgori Municipality

Akhalgori Municipality
ახალგორის მუნიციპალიტეტი
District
Location of Akhalgori Municipality
Coordinates: 42°9′N 44°31′E / 42.150°N 44.517°E / 42.150; 44.517
Country Georgia
De facto state South Ossetia
CapitalAkhalgori
Government
  De facto head of administrationAlan Djussoev
  Votes in Parliament(of 69)
Area
  Total
1,011 km2 (390 sq mi)
Population
 (2002)
  Total
7,703
  Density7.6/km2 (20/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+3 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+4 (CEST)

Akhalgori Municipality or Leningor District (Georgian: ახალგორის მუნიციპალიტეტი, romanized: akhalgoris munitsip'alit'et'i, Ossetian: Ленингоры район, romanized: Leningory rajon, Russian: Ахалгорский муниципалитет, romanized: Akhalgorskiy munitsipalitet) is a municipality in Georgia or South Ossetia respectively. Georgia considers Akhalgori part of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti. According to Tskhinval, the current Head of Administration of Leningor is Alan Djussoev, and the current Deputy Head is Alexander Baratashvili. Before the 2008 war, the municipality was divided, with the eastern part under Georgian and the western under South Ossetian control.

The Georgian controlled part of Akhalgori/Leningor Municipality had a population of 7,700 in 2002, with approximately 2,000 living in the town itself. The largest villages were Ikorta, Korinta, Qanchaveti, Kvemo Zakhori, Largvisi, Doretkari, and Karchokhi. The population was primarily Georgian (6,520) and Ossetian (1,110) prior to the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. Since the war, over 5,000 ethnic Georgians – at least 70% of the total population and 90% of local ethnic Georgians – have fled the area, citing discrimination and a "climate of fear" under the Russian-South Ossetian control. Unlike in other Georgian enclaves, Ossetian militias have not systematically destroyed village structures, though there have been some reports of attacks against civilians and complaints of intimidation.