President of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov has received representatives of the Israeli community of Tskhinval, who from 1990 to 1996 moved to permanent residence in the State of Israel.
Bibilov has welcomed the members of the community, noting that the situation that developed in the 1990s in South Ossetia was not favorable not only for the Jews, but for all the inhabitants of the Republic.
Member of the community Elion Vilenchik expressed gratitude to the president for the reception, noting that "in Israel they have found, perhaps, a historical, but still a second homeland."
"The spiritual connection with South Ossetia did not stop for a day," said Vilenchik.
He has added that part of the Israeli community of Tskhinval wants to regain the citizenship of South Ossetia in order to feel even more part of the South Ossetian society.
The president has specified that about five thousand people applied for a South Ossetian passport, noting that the issuance of South Ossetian passports was temporarily stopped, "because they were issued to everyone in a row."
"The passports were issued to people who had nothing to do with South Ossetia, and I stopped it. This should not be, "the president continued.
Bibilov has stressed that there is an order and rules for obtaining citizenship, specifying that passports, first of all, are issued to those persons who were born in South Ossetia.
"Write applications and we will consider them," Bibilov said.
The members of the community asked the president to help them restore the Jewish cemetery, synagogue, Jewish cultural center in Tskhinval.
Bibilov assured that these issues will be considered.
At the end of the meeting, members of the Israeli community of Tskhinval presented memorable gifts to the President.
