Government Affirms it Works in ‘Normal Regime’

The Georgian Defense, Interior, Foreign Minister as well as the State Minister for Economic Reform Issues made separate statements at a news conference on February 3 to reaffirm that the Georgian government continues performing its duties “in a normal regime” and that there will be no change in the country policy after the death of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania.

“The Interior Ministry continues its work in a usual manner. We fully control the situation in the country… We are also continue out investigation of the Gori blast [on February 1, which killed three and injured 27 persons]. I want to tell you that the overall situation in the country is stable,” Vano Merabishvili, the Interior Minister said at a news conference.

“All reforms and changes in the army are being carrying out as it was envisages by the government… We continue our daily routine activities in a usual regime,” Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili said.

Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili said that the Foreign Ministry also continues working “in a normal regime.” She said that Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgi Gomiashvili held important meetings in Vienna at the session of the OSCE Permanent Council, as well as with the representatives of the European Union, “and discussed the issue of replacing the [OSCE] BMO [Border Monitoring Operation at the Russo-Georgian border]” by other international observers.

She also said that the Foreign Ministry is working to prepare for visits from an official delegation from the foreign countries, which will attend the funeral of Zurab Zhvania, scheduled for February 6.

“It is already known that Azerbaijani Premier and World Bank President [James Wolfensohn] will be in attendance,” Salome Zourabichvili said.

She also said that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has personally phoned President Saakashvili to express her condolences over Zurab Zhvania’s death.

State Minister for Economic Reforms Kakha Bendukidze said that Georgia will continue the economic policy which was being carried out by Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)