Ruling party congress elects outgoing PM as new Chair, nominates replacement
The GD Congress has nominated Irakli Garibashvil as the party’s new Chair, and nominated Irakli Kobakhidze as the new PM.
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A session of the Congress of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Thursday elected Irakli Garibashvili, the country’s Prime Minister who announced his resignation on Monday, as the party’s new Chair, while nominating incumbent GD Char Irakli Kobakhidze as his replacement.
Addressing the 8th Congress of the party in Tbilisi, Garibashvili stressed Kobakhidze, who previously served as the Speaker of the Parliament, had been given “full legitimacy and mandate” by the Congress for his new role and urged attendees to support him.
He also extended his gratitude to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the GD founder and former PM who currently serves as the Honorary Chair of the party, and party members, highlighting being elected for his new position was a “great honour and responsibility”.
In his comments, Kobakhidze praised Garibashvili for “ensuring great success” for the country during his latest, three-year tenure, while also expressing gratitude to Ivanishvili for placing trust in him.
Kobakhidze is expected to present his cabinet in the coming days, with the Parliament scheduled to vote on the composition next week.
The official has already rejected the opposition’s claims on alleged replacement of several ministers, claiming only Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze was expected to resign on his own initiative, with MP Irakli Chikovani nominated for the post.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday highlighted the “direct involvement” of Irakli Kobakhidze, the candidate for the position of the Prime Minister of Georgia, in the implementation process of the 12 recommendations, outlined by the European Union for Georgia before granting the country the membership candidate status.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party and the head of the faction in the Parliament, on Thursday said the party would look to gain a constitutional majority and not just a “simple victory” in the general elections in October.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said “maintaining peace” and economic development in the country was “fundamentally important” for ensuring “every citizen can feel prosperity”.
Juansher Burchuladze, the outgoing Defence Minister, on Thursday said he had received an offer from Irakli Kobakhidze, the candidate for the position of the Prime Minister of Georgia, to consider taking up the position of the country’s Ambassador to NATO.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the candidate for the position of the Prime Minister of Georgia, on Thursday said there was “only one team” in the Georgian Dream political faction.
Irakli Garibashvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia who was on Thursday elected as the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said he was taking “pride” in “successful years of service” as the country’s PM between 2013-2015 and 2021-2024.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday praised the “joint efforts” of the outgoing Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the incumbent Georgian Dream party Chair Irakli Kobakhidze, expected to replace the former as the head of the Government, in their advancement of “political and economic success” for the country.
Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party and the Mayor of Tbilisi, on Thursday pledged “unwavering commitment” to “national interests” following the resignation of Irakli Garibashvili as the country’s Prime Minister on Monday and the forthcoming nomination of his replacement by the party.
The ruling Georgian Dream party will on Thursday hold a party congress to formally present its new candidate for the position of the Prime Minister after the exit of Irakli Garibashvili from the position on Monday.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said if the ruling Georgian Dream party Chair Irakli Kobakhidze became the new Prime Minister following the exit of Irakli Garibashvili from the position this week, the development would mark a “historic moment for Georgian democracy” by symbolising the country's switch to the parliamentary republic model in having a PM selected from the lawmaking body.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday announced his exit from the position of the head of the Government.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the candidate for the position of the Prime Minister of Georgia, will on Friday present his Government programme to the Parliament bureau.
Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Friday commended “very promising” initial statements by Irakli Kobakhidze, the candidate presented by the ruling Georgian Dream party for the position of the Prime Minister, as part of his commitment to advancing the country’s EU integration progress through implementation of the conditions for opening accession talks with the bloc.
Ilia Darchiashvili, the candidate for the post of Foreign Minister of Georgia, on Wednesday highlighted the Government’s commitment to mediate for peace in the South Caucasus region and reintegrate it's own Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions only through peaceful means.
Ilia Darchiashvili, the candidate for the post of the Foreign Minister of Georgia, on Wednesday told lawmakers his office would send invitations for both short- and long-term observers from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe to observe the general elections in October this month.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday cited “problems in management communication” in comments on the resignation of Zurab Azarashvili, the Minister of IDPs, Labour, Health and Social Affairs.