New State Minister for EU-Atlantic Integration appointed

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has appointed Georgia’s Ambassador to Greece and Serbia David Bakradze as the country’s new State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

The appointment comes following the November 4 resignation of former State Minister Alex Petriashvili, who claimed there were threats to Georgia's pro-Western course a day after ex-Defence Minister Irakli Alasania was dismissed by PM Garibashvili.

Bakradze, 39, a career diplomat with 12 years’ diplomatic experience, has served as Georgia’s Ambassador to Greece and Serbia since March 2012.

From 2008 to 2012, Bakradze held high diplomatic positions at the Georgian Embassies in Sweden and Finland. From 2006 to 2008, he led the European Affairs Department of the Georgian Foreign Ministry.

Bakradze speaks English and Russian languages and is married with three children.

The PM’s announcement about appointing Bakradze as the new State Minister was published on the Georgian Government’s website this evening.