Foreign Minister of breakaway South Ossetia Murad Jioyev confirmed on January 19, that Russian citizen Anatoly Yarovoy was appointed as chief of the unrecognized republic?s security service.
Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili condemned on January 17 this appointment of Yarovoy, who previously served as a chief of the Security Service of the Russia?s Mordovia Republic. ?It is already more than just interference [of Russia in Georgia?s internal affairs],? Salome Zourabichvili said.
However, South Ossetian de facto Foreign Minister condemned Tbilisi?s protest as ?interference in internal affairs of sovereign South Ossetian Republic.?
?We have not expressed our protests when in neighboring Georgia citizens of France and Russia were appointed in the government,? Regnum news agency quotes Murad Jioyev as saying, referring to appointment of Salome Zourabichvili, who still hold French passport, as Foreign Minister and Kakha Bendukidze as Economy Minister.
?On the other hand more than 90% of South Ossetian population is citizen of the Russian Federation, and it should not be a surprise, if Russian citizens are among the government members of South Ossetia,? Murad Jioyev added.