Paper Speculates on Possible PM Candidates

In an article published on February 4 the Georgian daily Rezonansi (Resonance) speculates about possible candidates who may be nominated for the Prime Minister?s position as a replacement for Zurab Zhvania, who passed away early on February 3.

According to the paper, as it is almost impossible to find a proper replacement of Zhvania, it is likely that President Saakashvili will nominate a person who will be the Prime Minister for an interim period.

?Consideration over who will replace Zurab Zhvania started a few hours after the Prime minister?s death. Several possible candidates are being named. Among them are: Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, Vice-Premier Giorgi Baramidze, State Minister for Economic Reform Issues Kakha Bendukidze and Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze,? the paper reads.

According to the Rezonansi, some political analysts suggest that at the initial stage, the new Prime Minister might be a person who was a close ally of Zhvania, but this person will be inevitably be replaced after several months.