Ex-Finance Minister Becomes Member of Central Bank Board

Parliament approved today Lexo Alexishvili, the ex-finance minister, as a member of the Board of the National Bank ? the first step towards becoming the chief of the central bank.

Another nomination to the Board is expected before the end of September, when as well as the outgoing central bank chief, Roman Gotsiridze, his deputy is due to stand down.

The new Board will then nominate a new Central Bank chief and submit it to the president for approval.

The position has been a major source of political contention, with Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze, against the wishes of the prime minister, pushing for a close ally of hers, MP Irakli Kovzanadze, the current chairman of the parliamentary committee for budgetary and financial issues, to replace Gotsiridze.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)