Ruslan Balbek, who has been appointed as deputy premier of the self-proclaimed Republic of Crimea instead of Lenur Isliamov, has previous conviction for embezzlement of the money of a tourist company, ex-leader of Mejlis of Crimean Tatars and MP of Batkivschyna faction Mustafa Jemilev has said.

"Isliamov was accused of allegedly being politically biased, and Ruslan Balbek, who earlier was imprisoned for a theft of UAH 1.5 million from TEZ-Tour company, was appointed instead of him. And when the company required explanations, the public prosecutor's office of Crimea said that this is a much-needed man and he should be released," he told the journalists in Kyiv on Thursday.

"Besides, we have information that in 2006 he [Balbek] was recruited by the Federal Security Service of Russia to work with an aim of splitting the Crimean Tatar people," he added.

As reported, on Wednesday the State Council of the self-proclaimed Republic of Crimea dismissed acting deputy premier of Crimea Isliamov and appointed Balbek instead of him. The reasons for the staff reshuffle weren't explained.

Through 2001 to 2003, Balbek was director of TEZ-Tour company. From 2010 to the present he was an assistant for an MP of Ukraine; from 2011 he was chairman of the NGO "Pokolinnya Krym" ("Crimea Generation"). From 2012, Balbek has worked as Chairman of the Crimean Public Council Committee on Interethnic Relations