New Ambassadors to Greece, Czech Republic Appointed

Parliament endorsed on September 7 two new ambassadors to Greece and the Czech Republic.

The ex-healthcare minister, Lado Chipashvili, who lost his portfolio in the cabinet as a result of a recent reshuffle, became ambassador to the Czech Republic and the  former mayor of Batumi, Irakli Tavartkiladze, heads for Athens, to cover both Greece and Croatia.

The appointments have prompted opposition protest.

?Either professional diplomats or high-profile political figures should be appointed as ambassadors,? Davit Berdzenishvili, a lawmaker from the opposition Republican party said in Parliament. ?Neither of them [Chipashvili and Tavartkiladze] is either a diplomat or a high-profile political figure? Both of them have been sacked from the Executive.?

Chipashvili will replace Kakha Sikharulidze, who was appointed to the Prague posting in December 2005.

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