New ‘Prime Minister’ Tapped in Tskhinvali

Occupied South Ossetia’s legislature today greenlighted new leader Alan Gagloev’s proposal to appoint Konstantin Jussoev as the new “prime minister” of the region. All 33 deputies voted for Jussoev’s candidacy in a secret ballot.

55-year-old Jussoev is a native of the region. He has until now served as general director of the construction company “Megapolis,” and was reportedly in charge of the construction of residential, commercial, and social facilities, as well as the constructions in the framework of the Russian investment program for the occupied region.

Gagloev is now expected to sign off Jussoev’s appointment after outgoing acting ‘prime minister’ Gennady Bekoev, currently on a business trip, submits a report to the legislature, RES news agency reported.

Addressing lawmakers, Jussoev spoke of agriculture and food security, the need to attract investors, reducing administrative and tax burdens on businesses, and the intention to restore trust between businesses and authorities.

Jussoev also spoke of the demographic situation, strengthening the institution of family, development of the Ossetian language, and uninterrupted provision of beneficiaries with medicines, RES noted.

Bekoev’s cabinet resigned as Alan Gagloev took office on May 24, after winning a “presidential runoff” against then-incumbent Anatoly Bibilov on May 8.

Tbilisi and most of the international community regard the two regions as part of Georgia and denounce the vote in the occupied region as illegitimate. As things stand, some 30 thousand ethnic Georgians remain uprooted from Tskhinvali Region following the armed conflict in 1991-92 and the Russo-Georgian War of 2008.

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