More staff changes in Georgian Gov’t in one week

Four new faces will appear in official roles after internal agency changes within the Georgian Government this week.

Two new Deputy Interior Ministers, the Deputy Secretary of Security and Crisis Management Council and the head of the State Security Special Service were appointed by the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili.

PM Garibashvili believed the internal agency changes were necessary for the purpose of reforming the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and Security and Crisis Council.

"The staff changes will support the reorganisation process,” he said.

More read: MIA reform: Security service will be separate from Interior Ministry

"We have passed a law on the Security and Crisis Management Council and we have a desire to strengthen this agency as much as possible. As I informed the public yesterday we are starting to reform the Ministry of Internal Affairs and separate the Security Service from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I think the staff changes made will support this process,” he noted.

Yesterday Garibashvili announced the MIA would undergo reform, with one aspect of the reforms enabling the Security Service to be separated from the Ministry.

MIA Deputy Ministers

Vakhtang Gomelauri has moved up the ranks from Deputy Interior Minister to First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Archil Talakvadze, who served as Deputy Minister of the penitentiary system since late 2012, has been appointed the new Deputy Interior Minister.

In addition, head of the Special State Protection Service (SSPS) Teimuraz Mgebrishvili will leave this role after being appointed the position of Deputy Interior Minister.

The Deputy Secretary of Security and Crisis Management Council

First Deputy Interior Minister Giorgi Zedelashvili has been replaced and will now become the Deputy Secretary of the State Security and Crisis Management Council.

Head of the Special State Protection Service (SSPS)

Staff changes also affected the Special State Protection Service (SSPS). Anzor Chubinidze will replace Mgebrishvili as new head of SSPS.

Chubinidze, who was former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s chief bodyguard, has once already served in this post when Ivanishvili was the PM.