Anatoly Ilyich Bibilov (Ossetian: Бибылты Ильяйы фырт Анатолий, romanized: Bibylty Iljajy fyrt Anatolij; Ossetian pronunciation: [ˈbibəltə iˈlʲajə fərt anaˈtolij], Russian: Анато́лий Ильи́ч Биби́лов; born 6 February 1970) is a South Ossetian military officer, was the fourth president of South Ossetia. He succeeded Leonid Tibilov as president on 21 April 2017 to 24 May 2022, following his election victory, but was defeated by Alan Gagloev in the 2022 election.
Anatoly Bibilov | |
|---|---|
| Бибылты Анатолий Анатолий Бибилов | |
.jpg) Bibilov in 2018 | |
| 4th President of South Ossetia | |
| In office 21 April 2017 – 24 May 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Leonid Tibilov |
| Succeeded by | Alan Gagloev |
| Speaker of the Parliament | |
| In office 24 June 2014 – 21 April 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Stanislav Kochiev |
| Succeeded by | Inal Mamiev |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 January 1970 Tskhinvali, South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast, Georgian SSR, USSR |
| Political party | United Ossetia |
| Alma mater | Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  Soviet ArmyArmed Forces of South Ossetia  Russian Airborne Troops |
| Years of service | Soviet Union (1988—1991) Russia (1991—1994) South Ossetia (1994—1996) Russia (1998—2008) |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
Biography
editBibilov was born in the South Ossetian AO of the Georgian SSR in the Soviet Union.[1] After eight grade he went to a boarding school in Tbilisi with intensive military and physical training, thereafter he joined the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School.[1] After graduating, Bibilov was distributed to the 76th Guards Air Assault Division. His division was included in the consolidated battalion of peacekeepers in South Ossetia. Subsequently he joined the South Ossetian Army,[1] commanding a special forces unit. Between the period 1998-2008 he rejoined the peacekeeping forces, this time in a North Ossetia battalion. Bibilov took an active part in the Russo-Georgian War, organizing the defence of one of the districts of Tskhinvali against the Georgian Armed Forces.[1]
Politics
edit
In October 2008 he was appointed Minister of Emergency Situations of South Ossetia. Bibilov was the presidential candidate for the Unity Party in the South Ossetian presidential election, 2011.[1] He won the first round, but lost the runoff to Alla Dzhioyeva.
Soon however, the parliament of South Ossetia declared the elections invalid.[2] Leonid Tibilov was ultimately elected president after winning the South Ossetian presidential election, 2012, which Bibilov did not participate in.[1] In June 2014 he was elected as the president of the parliament of South Ossetia. He is currently the head of the United Ossetia party, which nominated him for their candidate to the South Ossetian presidential election, 2017.[3] Bibilov won the election in the first round by getting 54.8% of the vote and took office as the 4th president of South Ossetia on 21 April 2017.[4][5] During his inauguration, delegations from the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and Russia were present.[6]
Bibilov supports South Ossetia joining Russia,[7][8] and has called for a referendum on the issue.[9]
One of the controversies of Bibilov's late tenure would be the Ministry of Construction's construction of a gym for the secondary school of Tsinagari. The School's director, former Member of Parliament Lasko Gussoev was able to bring the issue to national prominence stating that the Ministry of Construction built the gym, but did not install a transformer or other electoral components rendering the gym inoperable. It would take over 2 years of Gussoev's lobbying and significant media coverage before the gym was completed.[10]
Bibilov was defeated by Alan Gagloyev in the 2022 election.[11]
Cabinet
editDuring his tenure as President, Bibilov's cabinet consisted of the following:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Minister of Culture | Zhanna Zasseeva[12] |
| Minister of the Economy | Gennady Kokoev[12] |
| Minister of Education | Natali Gasieva (2017-2021)[12] |
| Minister of Emergency Situations | Alan Tadtaev[12] |
| Minister of Finance | Aza Khabalova[12] |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Dmitry Medoev[12] |
| Minister of Justice | Zalina Lalieva[12] |
Sanctions
editIn September 2015, he was included in the sanctions list of Ukraine. Bibilov was recognized as a person who creates "real and/or potential threats to national interests, national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine." Bibilov probably fell under this definition because of repeated visits to the unrecognized DPR and LPR, as well as to Crimea.[13]
Awards
edit- Uatsamonga Order (2008, South Ossetia)[14]
- Order of Friendship (1 September 2011, Russia)
- Order of the Umayyads 1st Class (2018, Syria)
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Personal life
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f The new head of South Ossetia, Bibilov: From peacemaker to President, Chelorg, 10 April 2017.
- ^ South Ossetia unrest after election result is annulled, BBC, 30 November 2011.
- ^ "United Ossetia" Party nominates Anatoly Bibilov as presidential candidate, Kavkaz, 26 January 2017.
- ^ Georgia's breakaway region elects new leader, AbcNews, 10 April 2017.
- ^ "Бибилов сложил полномочия спикера парламента Южной Осетии".
- ^ Artsakh delegation completes visit to South Ossetia, Mediamax, 25 April 2017.
- ^ "South Ossetia does not refuse joining Russian Federation, but this decision may be postponed - Anatoly Bibilov - News Agency InterpressNews". Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ "Bibilov Says Breakaway S. Ossetia Belongs to Russia". Georgia Today. 20 December 2017. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ "Бибилов высказался за референдум о вхождении Южной Осетии в состав России" [Bibilov calls for a referendum on South Ossetia's accession to Russia]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). 30 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "Вопрос решается: директор Цинагарской школы о вводе в эксплуатацию спортзала школы". State Information Agency. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ "Opposition leader wins South Ossetia presidential election". OC Media. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g "New South Ossetian Parliament Head Elected". Civil Georgia. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ "Санкции Бибилову не помеха". Ekho Kavkaza (in Russian). Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ "Press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia | Министерство иностранных дел". www.mfa-rso.su (in Russian). Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ "Biography". President of Republic of South Ossetia (in Russian). Retrieved 14 May 2022.
- ^ "ибилов Анатолий Ильич". Caucasian Knot (in Russian). Retrieved 14 May 2022.
