Georgia: PM Announces Cabinet Shake-Up

In a long-expected move, Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze announced on January 24 a large-scale cabinet reorganization.

The government shake-up, promised by President Mikheil Saakashvili during his recent reelection campaign, is designed to emphasize "professionalism," Gurgenidze said during a televised news conference.

Headlining the changes, Saakashvili campaign spokesperson Davit Bakradze, the current State Minister for Conflict Resolution, has been tapped to become foreign minister. Current Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili, in office since the departure of Salome Zourabichvili in 2005, will be entering the private sector, Prime Minister Gurgenidze said.

In place of Bakradze, Temur Iakobashvili, executive vice president of the Georgian Foundation for International and Strategic Studies, a government-friendly think tank, has been nominated to oversee Georgia's Conflict Resolution Ministry. The ministry, Gurgenidze said, will be renamed the State Ministry for Reintegration Issues, to deemphasize the notion of conflict in Tbilisi's relations with the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

A similar about-face has occurred within Georgia's Education Ministry, one of the hot spots for Saakashvili's reform movement. Prominent political analyst Ghia Nodia, head of the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development, has been nominated as education minister, replacing Maia Miminoshvili who held the post for a mere two months, following the departure of longtime Education Minister Alexander Lomaia in November 2007 to chair the National Security Council.

Deputy General Prosecutor Nika Gvaramia has been named Minister of Justice in place of Eka Tqeshelashvili. Gvaramia gained considerable public notice during the recent investigations into former presidential candidate Badri Patarkatsishvili for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government, and into alleged ties between opposition leaders and Moscow. [For background see the Georgia: Vote 2008 special feature]. Tqeshelashvili is slated to take over the post of general prosecutor.

Gurgenidze also announced the creation of a new State Ministry for Diaspora Issues to strengthen ties with the "millions" of Georgians living outside the country, who, he said, "should be completely integrated into our society."

Georgian media have reported that the country's diplomatic missions will also be reorganized, but details were not released during Gurgenidze's briefing.

Changes will also affect some of the longest-serving members of the Georgian government. Kakha Bendukidze, the controversial state minister for coordination of economic reforms, has been nominated to oversee the State Chancellery's administration.

Another longtime Saakashvili ally, Minister of Economic Development Giorgi Arveladze, is leaving the government, reportedly to go into business, according to media reports. He will be replaced by Eka Sharashidze, head of the presidential administration.

Makeovers are also due at ministries less covered by international media.

Sandro Kvitashvili, a political unknown who previously worked in New York as the director of administration for the East-West Institute, has been named as health minister. Kvitashvili, a friend of Gurgenidze, is the former head of the Curatio International Foundation, a Tbilisi-based non-governmental organization that specializes in health care reform.

New appointments have been made to the ministries of environment (former Botanical Institute director Zaza Gamtsemlidze) and culture (Deputy Culture Minister Nika Vacheishvili).

Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili -- a prime target for opposition criticism -- and Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili will retain their posts. The ministries of finance, energy, refugees and resettlement, and agriculture are also unaffected by the shake-up.

Parliament will have four days to discuss the nominations before a final vote next week.