Four New Ambassadors Appointed

The Georgian Parliament approved four new ambassadors, including to the Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel and Cyprus at the session on December 16.

Nino Nakashidze, a former lawmaker who served as chairperson of the committee for Euro-Atlantic integration issues in the previous parliament, was appointed as ambassador to the Czech Republic.

MP Mikheil Machavariani, a Vice-Speaker of the Parliament, said that the Czech Republic was an important partner for Georgia, especially in the light of its upcoming EU presidency starting from January, 2009.

“There is a complicated situation in the Czech Republic, I hope that the current majority in the Czech Parliament will be preserved and we will further enjoy with the strong support of the Czech Republic,” MP Machavariani said.

Also on December 16, Vladimer Konstantinidi, Georgia’s former consul to Israel, was appointed as ambassador to Cyprus and Vakhtang Jaoshvili, who has worked for the Foreign Ministry since 1997, has become an ambassador to Israel.

Zviad Chumburidze was appointed as Georgia’s ambassador to Hungary; he will also cover Serbia.

In other planned ambassadorial nominations, Alexandre Lomaia, the secretary of National Security Council, will be nominated as Georgia’s ambassador to the United Nations, replacing Irakli Alasania, who filed resignation on December 4.

Georgia’s Deputy Defense Minister, Batu Kutelia, is expected to become an ambassador to the United States – the position, which has become vacant after former ambassador, Davit Sikharulidze, was appointed as Defense Minister.

Foreign Ministry, Grigol Vashadze, told all the ambassadors shortly after taking the post on December 5 to file resignations. “I did so in order to give the President and the Prime Minister a chance to reconsider all the ambassadorial nominations,” Vashadze said on December 16. “95% of ambassadors will retain their positions.”

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