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| Nogaideli, 40, becomes new Prime Minister. |
The Opposition New Rights-Industrialists, Republican and Conservative parties all voted against the cabinet, which was reshuffled following the sudden death of late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania on February 3.
The new cabinet is as follows: Georgia’s Ambassador to Russia Valeri Chechelashvili replaced Zurab Nogaideli as the Finance Minister; Kote Kemularia, who was the Chairman of the Supreme Court, took over the Justice Minister’s position, replacing Giorgi Papuashvili; the latter became the Minister of Environment, replacing Tamar Lebanidze.
Other Ministers will remain at their current posts:
Vano Merabishvili – the Interior Minister;
Irakli Okruashvili – the Defense Minister;
Salome Zourabichvili – the Foreign Minister;
Lexo Alexishvili – the Economy Minister;
Nika Gilauri – the Energy Minister;
Lado Chipashvili –the Healthcare Minister;
Kakha Lomaia – the Minister of Education and Science;
Goka Gabashvili – the Minister of Culture and Sport;
Eter Astemirova – the Minister of Refugees and Accommodation;
Goga Khaindrava – the Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues;
Zinaida Bestaeva – the State Minister for Civil Integration Issues;
Giorgi Baramidze – the State Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration Issues;
Kakha Bendukidze – the State Minister for Economic Reforms.
A small group of opposition parliamentarians used the discussions over the new cabinet to step up their criticism of the government.
MP Koba Davitashvili, leader of the Conservative Party and former ally of President Saakashvili, said at the parliamentary session on February 17 that the government and the ruling National Movement party “failed to deliver one of its major pre-election promise” and did not offered tax exemptions for small and medium business. MP Koba Davitashvili named this issues as the main reason behind his refusal to support the new cabinet.
MP Davit Berdzenishvili, leader of Republican Party, which is represented in the Parliament by only four MPs, who were also allies of President Saakashvili, criticized the authorities’ for their failure “to effectively rationalize the state structures.”
The New Rights-Industrialists opposition parliamentary faction its expressed concerns regarding “the misuse of power by certain ministers.” MP Davit Saganelidze of the New Rights Party, named Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili in particular, who, as MP Saganelidze put it, “forced the entire leadership of the General Staff of the Armed Forces to file for resignation.”
“He had no right to do this. A high-level official neglecting laws so openly is a very dangerous precedent, especially in the army,” MP Davit Saganelidze said.
