Parliamentary Committee Chairs Elected
Ruling party MPs were elected as chairpersons of all 13 parliamentary committees at a session on June 11.
The newly elected parliamentary chairpersons are:
Committee on human rights and civil integration – Giorgi Arsenishvili, a former state minister (in ex-President Shevardnadze’s administration) and former ambassador to Austria;
Committee on legal issues – Pavle Kublashvili;
Committee on foreign affairs – Lasha Zhvania, former ambassador to Israel;
Committee on finances and budget – Zurab Melikishvili, the ruling party’s secretary general;
Committee on European Integration – Davit Darchiashvili, ex-head of Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF);
Committee on education and culture – Giorgi Gabashvili, ex-minister of culture;
Committee on sector economy – Giorgi Meladze, ex-vice mayor of Tbilisi;
Committee on environmental protection – Akaki Bobokhidze, ex-governor of Imereti region;
Committee on agriculture – Giorgi Gviniashvili, ex-chief prosecutor of Tbilisi;
Committee on social issues and healthcare – Otar Toidze;
Committee on regional and self-governance issues – Vano Khukhunaishvili;
Givi Targamadze and Khatuna Gogorishvili retained their previous posts as chairpersons of the committees on defense and security and on procedural issues, respectively.
In addition, two new committees – on sports and youth issues and on reintegration and diaspora issues – will reportedly be established. Giorgi Asanidze and political newcomer Nugzar Tsiklauri, both from the ruling party, are likely to chair the new committees, respectively.
