President Saakashvili put an end to two-day worth of media speculation over anticipated staff changes in the cabinet on December 8 by saying that the there is “no urgent need to immediately reshuffle the government” adding that media reports over the cabinet changes were “inappropriate.” However, he did not rule out that reshuffling may take place in the near future.
President Saakashvili promptly launched his specially convened news briefing by reiterating that together with Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze they represent “one, united team.”
“I do not see the necessity for an urgent cabinet reshuffle. Moreover, I cannot make any decision until Nino Burjanadze [Parliamentary Chairperson] and Zurab Zhvania [Prime Minister] return to Georgia,” President Saakashvili said.
Zurab Zhvania is paying a visit to the United States and is expected to return on December 9. Nino Burjanadze is currently visiting Germany.
Unofficial reports, which have been circulating in the media over the past few days, also triggered speculations about the possible split between Saakashvili, Zhvania and Burjanadze, as the decision about a possible cabinet reshuffle was taking place while the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Chairperson were not in the country.
President Saakashvili said that the government continues to work “in a normal way.” He did add that the authorities “are always working on changes.”
He did not rule out particular changes, “but not as it was reported by the media sources. A large part of the media reports regarding changes in the government was not true,” President Saakashvili added.
According to those unofficial reports the State Security Ministry will merge with the Interior Ministry as a result of a governmental restructure.
Unofficial reports said that current Minister of Security Vano Merabishvili will take over as Interior Minister after that Ministry merges with the Security Ministry. Interior Minister Irakli Okruashvili will be appointed as Defense Minister, replacing Giorgi Baramidze, who will take over the position of Secretary of the Georgian National Security Council.
Gela Bezhuashvili, who is currently the Secretary of the National Security Council, will become Justice Minister and will replace Giorgi Papuashvili. It is assumed that Papuashvili will become Chairman of the Central Election Commission.
But Georgian Defense Minister Giorgi Baramidze also denied these reports saying that he will remain at his position. “Ask those people who are circulating these kinds of rumors about this,” he told reporters on December 8.
Gela Bezhuashvili, the Secretary of National Security Council, also told reporters that he will remain at his current post, but admitted that particular changes will take place in the government. “But not the way it was reported by the media,” he added, according to the Inter-Press news agency.
“The fact is that no reshuffling has occurred yet and these reports remain rumors, but it is also true that someone is feeding journalists these rumors,” MP Levan Berdzenishvili of opposition Republican Party told Civil Georgia on December 8.
An earlier reshuffle of the cabinet occurred in June, which affected mainly the defense and security structures of the government.
