Burjanadze Slams Cabinet Reshuffle as ‘Mockery’
Nino Burjanadze, a former parliamentary speaker, said the recent cabinet reshuffle was “not serious” and not in line with “society’s expectations.” “Radical changes are needed,” she said.
“This is not a new cabinet at all,” she said. “These changes indicate once again that the authorities fail to assess appropriately both what has happened in the country and the expectations of society.”
“This is shameful. Does it mean that the war and the territories were lost by Nika Vacheishvili [the former minister of culture who has been replaced by deputy foreign minister Grigol Vashadze] and by the environment minister [Irakli Gvaladze, who has also been dismissed and replaced by Governor of Samtskhe-Javakheti region Goga Khachidze]? The fact that only the ministers of culture and environment are being replaced against the background of the disaster that took place in the country is irresponsible and not serious on the part of the president,” Burjanadze said.
The changes, she continued, combined with a decision to reassign a career diplomat, Grigol Vashadze, to the Ministry of Culture “amounts to a mockery of the country.”
In other changes in the cabinet Grigol Mgaloblishvili was named as new prime minister; Zurab Adeishvili was nominated as the new justice minister and Koba Subeliani – minister for refugees and accommodation.
Burjanadze said that personally PM-designate Mgaloblishvili “is a wonderful young person, a good diplomat.”
“But, unfortunately, that is not a person, who is capable of being the prime minister in today’s Georgia. It will be very difficult for him to work in this position, especially together with the existing team,” she said.
“I do not know why the authorities think that they can act cynically like this. I am sorry, but I have to say that such moves will have grave consequences,” Burjanadze said.
President Saakashvili and Parliamentary Chairperson Davit Bakradze said that “radical changes” in the cabinet were not required, because the government had on the whole successfully met the major challenges in August.
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