President Nominated New Prime Minister
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| Nogaideli, 40, was a long-time ally of late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania. |
News about Zurab Nogaideli’s possible nomination as the Prime Minister broke after President Saakashvili finished consultations with government members and leading parliamentarians, which lasted until late into the night. After officials denied reports over a possible appointment of Georgia’s Ambassador to Russia Valeri Chechelashvili and Russian-based Georgian Businessman Levan Vasadze to the Prime Minister’s position, Nogaideli was seemingly the only person left to be considered by the President for the PM’s position.
Zurab Nogaideli, 40, was a long-time friend and one of the closest allies of late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania. Nogaideli started his political carrier together with Zurab Zhvania in the Green Party of Georgia in the early 90s. He was a member of the Georgian Parliament from 1992-1999. Nogaideli has formely served as Georgia’s Finance Minister in ex-President Shevardnadze’s government from 2000-2002. He was appointed as the Finance Minister for the second time in November, 2003, shortly after the Rose Revolution.
The President’s spokesperson Alana Gagloeva said that no final decision has been made over a new Finance Minister. However, some Georgian television stations, including Imedi TV, reported that Lado Gurgenidze, General Director of the Bank of Georgia, will be nominated for the position of Finance Minister.
According to unofficial reports Zurab Nogaideli’s candidacy was strongly supported and promoted by those members of the government and the Parliament who were regarded as close allies of Zurab Zhvania. MP Elene Tevdoradze was among them. Tevodoradze said on February 7 that the replacement for Zurab Zhvania should be found among those persons “who were on Zhvania’s team.”
“This government came into power as a triangle [Saakashvili, Zhvania and Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze] and now it will be quite natural if someone from Zhvania’s team will become the new Prime Minister,” MP Elene Tevdoradze said.
President Saakashvili has not yet made any comments regarding the nomination; however, it was reported earlier that Saakashvili planned to make an announcement about the nomination himself on February 9.
According to the law, new cabinet members, as well as the Prime Minister’s candidacy, will be proposed to the Parliament for approval within the next five days. It is most likely that the Parliament, which is controlled by Saakashvili’s ruling National Movement party, will approve the new cabinet.