Parliament speaker Kuchava resigns, MP Papuashvili to replace him
Kuchava will reportedly leave his MP status but remain a member of the GD. Photo: Kakha Kuchava's Facebook page
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Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava has resigned and MP Shalva Papuashvili will replace him, ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party head Irakli Kobakhidze announced yesterday evening.
Kuchava will reportedly leave his MP status but remain a member of the GD.
I am not going anywhere far, I am staying in the political council with my team, Kuchava said.
Papuashvili, who is currently the chair of Education, Science and Culture Committee, is set to be elected a new speaker next week.
First deputy of Education, Science and Culture Committee Giorgi Amilakhvari will replace Papuashvili as the chair of the committee, Kobakhidze noted.
Kuchava was elected the chair of the Parliament in April, replacing Archil Talakvadze in the post.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava is paying his first official visit to Brussels in the role.
Georgian parliament has elected Kakha Kuchava, 42, as the new speaker of the state legislature, replacing Archil Talakvadze in the post. 86 MPs voted for Kuchava in the 150-member parliament, including opposition legislators from Citizens and European Socialists. Kuchava holds a MA degree in Corporate Law from Nottingham Trent University.
Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze has announced his resignation today, however, he will continue his parliamentary activities as vice speaker. Talakvadze explained at a news briefing that following the recent political dialogue with the opposition and the consequent EU-proposed agreement, he decided to quit the speaker’s position.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava visited Droa opposition party leader Elene Khoshtaria, who has been on a hunger strike in the parliament building for three days, demanding former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s transfer to a civil clinic rather than a prison hospital. Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after returning from eight years in political exile, considers himself a ‘political prisoner’ and has reportedly been on a hunger strike for 36 days.
The Georgian parliament has elected Shalva Papuashvili, 45, to be the new speaker of the state legislature, replacing Kakha Kuchava in the post earlier today.