President Mikheil Saakashvili granted Georgian citizenship to Vladimir Sanakoev, an ethnic Ossetian, on November 24. 
"I am very delighted to grant Georgian citizenship, not only because Mr. Sanakoev is a very respected person in Tskhinvali, but because hundreds of Ossetians, who left Georgia and this region, have expressed a great desire to return to Georgia. 

I would like to stress that Tskhinvali and the whole of South Ossetia have many great patriots. The Patriots of the Ossetian people are the patriots of Georgia, because they are my friends and the friends of Georgia. 

As for those bandits who are driving their small but respectable nation to complete disaster and those who are involved in criminal activities, they are enemies of their own people and a great threat for Georgia. I believe that Georgia, which is the country of the Ossetians, Georgians and people of every ethnicity, will treat them the way they deserve. Our main ally and strength are the Ossetian patriots and those people who love Ossetian people and think that their development perspective and freedom is possible only within Georgia," President Saakashvili said. 

The same day President Saakashvili granted Georgian citizenship to Rafi Ginat, a famous Israeli journalist whose ancestors were Georgian Jews.

Communications Office
of the President of Georgia