Foreign minister of South Ossetia leaves his post
TSKHINVAL. April 22 (Interfax) - South Ossetia's President Leonid Tibilov has signed a decree dismissing Kazbulat Tskhovrebov from his post as foreign minister.
"The president signed a relevant decree on Friday," the presidential administration told Interfax.
Andrei Tskhovreov, first deputy foreign minister, has been appointed as acting foreign minister.
Presidential Press Secretary, Gana Yanovskaya, told Interfax that Tibilov has met with the minister and Kazbulat Tskhovrebov confirmed his intention to leave his post during the meeting.
"During the meeting, president expressed understanding for the minister's request and asked Kazbulat Tskhovrebov what he plans to do after leaving his post. The president believes Tskhovrebov is a promising specialist, and his potential will be used in the future," the press officer said.
Kazbulat Tskhovrebov told Interfax, on April 12, that he had filed his resignation on April 11. "I really filed my resignation, but I will now refrain from making comments," the minister told the agency then.
A source in the Foreign Ministry then said the foreign minister had filed his resignation "due to major differences with the president of the republic on the role of the Foreign Ministry in South Ossetian foreign policy."
The source also said, that this has nothing to do with the political statements made by the president recently, and that the only issue is "the vision of the work of the Foreign Ministry."
South Ossetia's Foreign Minister Kazbulat Tskhovrebov was appointed to that post in 2015. Until then, he had been deputy foreign minister for many years.
Many experts say Kazbulat Tskhovrebov may run for president in 2018.