Candidate for premiership submits list of nominees for new cabinet
The candidate for the premiership Giorgi Gakharia and the nominees for the cabinet of ministers are expected to be voted on this week. Photo: Parliament’s press office.
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The Georgian Dream ruling party candidate for the premiership Giorgi Gakharia has already submitted the names of the nominees in the new cabinet to parliament which excludes only current Defence Minister Levan Izoria and nominates current head of the State Security Service Vakhtang Gomelauri as the replacement of Gakharia.
Parliament Chair Archil Talakvadze said that Gakharia has also presented the government plan for 2019-2020.
Gakharia said earlier today that former PM Irakli Garibashvili will replace Izoria in the role.
Head of the Georgian Dream ruling party Bidzina Ivanishvili (R) nominated Gakharia (L) for premiership earlier today. Photo: Georgian Dream press office.
The nominees for ministers in the new cabinet are as follows:
- Mikheil Batiashvili – Minister of Education, Culture and Sports.
- Levan Davitashvili - Minister of Environment and Agriculture.
- Natia Turnava – Minister of Economy.
- Irakli Garibashvili – Minister of Defence.
- Tea Tsulukiani – Minister of Justice.
- Ekaterine Tikaradze – Minister of Internally Displaced Persons, Labour, Health and Social Protection.
- Maia Tskitishvili – Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure.
- David Zalkaliani – Minister of Foreign Affairs.
- Vakhtang Gomelauri - Interior Minister.
- Ketevan Tsikhelashvili – Minister of Reconciliation and Civil Equality.
Head of Parliament’s Procedural Committee Giorgi Kakhiani said that it is possible the new PM and the cabinet to be voted later this week.
He said that hearings in parliamentary committees and the meeting with factions and the majority will take about five days and the voting might take place on the weekend.
At least 76 votes in the 150-member parliament are required to approve the new PM and the cabinet.
The parliamentary opposition has suspended the first day of the autumn session in parliament with whistles and loud statements, protesting the nomination of Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia as the new PM of the country. A member of the European Georgia opposition Elene Khoshtaria started whistling as soon as the national anthem finished in parliament earlier today,
The Georgian Dream (GD) ruling party has nominated current Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia to take up the premiership, following the resignation of Mamuka Bakhtadze yesterday. Gakharia thanked Ivanishvili “for the huge trust,” and said that he will present the cabinet and the government plan for MPs in parliament later today.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has confirmed his resignation in a long Facebook post earlier today, in which he cited the key challenges Georgia faces, in addition to the achievements the country has seen during his tenure.
Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia has given a televised explanation about the June 20 rally on Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi that was dispersed by police after a part of the demonstrators decided to storm the parliament building, as a result of which 305 people were detained and 240 injured.
Out of Georgia’s 18-member Cabinet, 14 ministers remained the same, one had switched from one ministry to another and three ministers were new. Learn more about the new names in Georgia’s Cabinet below.
The government plan for 2019-2020, submitted to parliament by the candidate for the premiership Giorgi Gakharia, reads that the top goal of the new government will be taking more active steps for Georgia’s faster integration into NATO and the EU and the further strengthening of relations with the US.
The Georgian Dream ruling party has nominated Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia for the premiership earlier today which has been followed by harsh criticism of the opposition and demonstrators who have been protesting the rally dispersal on Rustaveli Avenue on June 20-21 for 76 days.
MPs in the Georgian parliament have heard from the nominees for foreign minister and the minister of heath earlier today, before the legislators vote for the new cabinet of ministers later this week.The candidate for Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said that Georgia will continue taking active steps towards the country’s integration into NATO and the EU and will ensure closer ties with one of its key strategic partners, the United States.
The candidate for defence minister, former PM Irakli Garibashvili, vowed to develop the weapons industry in the country and stated Georgia must produce all types of weapons except nuclear.
With 98 votes in favour and zero against, the parliament of Georgia has approved of the new cabinet under Giorgi Gakharia’s premiership. The Georgian Dream ruling party nominated Giorgi Gakharia to take up the premiership, following Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze's resignation on September 2.