Chief of Abkhaz Security Council Appointed

President of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh appointed Stanislav Lakoba as the Secretary of the National Security Council of the unrecognized republic, RIA Novosti news agency reported on February 17.

Prof. Stanislav Lakoba is a close ally of Bagapsh and was his running mate for the Vice-President?s position in last October?s presidential elections. However, after a powersharing agreement was signed between Bagapsh and Raul Khajimba, who is currently the Vice-President, Lakoba had to abandon his plans to become the Vice-President.

Lakoba was a member of Abkhaz Parliament in 1992-1993 and the Vice-Speaker of Parliament in 1994-1996.