Reshuffled Cabinet Expected to Face Confidence Vote on Friday

Parliament is expected to hold confidence vote on reshuffled cabinet at a special session on Friday, May 8, after President Giorgi Margvelashvili submitted on Wednesday to the legislative body government members for confirmation.

The reshuffled cabinet, which includes new defense, sport, environment and infrastructure ministers, was originally expected to face confidence vote last week, but it was delayed after President Giorgi Margvelashvili’s decision to use his seven-day deadline for submitting the cabinet to the Parliament for consideration. Nomination by the President is a formality and he has no powers to either block or change any of the new ministerial nomination; he, however, can influence on pace of procedure and submit the cabinet to the Parliament either immediately or seven days later.

President Margvelashvili complained last week about frequent change of defense ministers and suggested that the government was acted in haste, leaving impression of “force majeure.” He said that he decided to drag out procedures in order to “calm” the process down and to give lawmakers and the public more time for deliberation.

No plenary session of the parliament was scheduled for this week so the parliament speaker has asked the President to convene a special session of the legislative body for May 8 to hold a confidence vote. The president’s role here too is a formality and even if he refuses to approve the request, which is less likely, the session will be held anyway, but the refusal may delay the process for a day.

Before the confidence vote, the Parliament will have to revoke MP credentials for Tina Khidasheli and Gigla Agulashvili, who have been appointed as defense and environment ministers, respectively. Law bans a government member to hold other office simultaneously.

It means that by the time of confidence vote the Parliament will have 147 lawmakers, so the reshuffled cabinet will need support of at least 74 MPs to win confidence vote.

Before the confidence vote, government members will face hearings in the parliamentary committees on May 7.

On the same day, May 7, PM Irakli Garibashvili will appear for separate hearings before UNM parliamentary minority group and opposition Free Democrats MPs.