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Reshuffle in Tbilisi City Hall Leadership

First deputy economy minister, Dimitri Kumsishvili, has been nominated for the post of vice mayor of Tbilisi as part of a reshuffle in the leadership of capital city’s local government.

Kumsishvili, who was deputy general director of ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Cartu Bank in 1999-2011, served as first deputy economy minister since late 2012.

The nomination now requires confirmation from the Tbilisi City Council, where ruling Georgian Dream coalition holds majority of seats.

Kumsishvili will replace on the post of vice mayor Alexander Margishvili, who will become chairman of Tbilisi city municipality’s planned new “center for promotion of entrepreneurship” – setting up of this agency with an estimated annual budget of about GEL 2 million has been fiercely criticized, not only by the opposition, as a move which comes in conflict with government’s declared policy of cutting administrative spending.

Tbilisi City Hall has been frequently criticized by opposition councilors for mismanagement, which was further fueled by alleged cases of bribe-taking after two municipal officials were arrested in two separate cases of suspected corruption in February and earlier this month.

Intention to replace Margishvili, who before becoming vice mayor served as deputy culture minister, was first announced by the Tbilisi mayor in late February.

Narmania cited on March 12 the need “to increase efficiency” of the Tbilisi City Hall as a reason behind the reshuffle. 

In other changes, Narmania nominated Irakli Lekvinadze as new deputy mayor, replacing Aluda Goglichidze. Lekvinadze is a co-owner of fruit juice producer company Livo of which he was a director up until March 10; he is better known to broader public by his media appearances for commentary on economic-related issues. Three other deputy mayors – Giorgi Solomonia, Giorgi Khelaia and Nina Khatiskatsi – retain their posts.

Narmania also appointed new head of Tbilisi City Hall’s administration, as well as nominated new head of Tbilisi’s municipal transport service.

He nominated Lasha Abashidze, who was chief of President Giorgi Margvelashvili’s administration till June 2014, as new head of Tbilisi’s Vake district; previous head of this district in Tbilisi center, Givi Tchitchinadze, was appointed as governor of Imereti region in late February.

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