Reshuffled Cabinet Faces Confidence Vote

Zurab Nogaideli, who is the nominee for the Prime Minister?s position, presented a reshuffled cabinet to the Parliament on February 17 for approval. It is most likely that the Parliament, controlled by President Saakashvili?s National Movement party, will vote in favor of the new cabinet.

Changes in the government follow the sudden death of late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania on February 3. This is the third reshuffling of the cabinet in the past year.

Following approval of the changes, the new cabinet will be as follows: Georgia?s Ambassador to Russia Valeri Chechelashvili will replace Zurab Nogaideli as the Finance Minister; Kote Kemularia, who is currently the Chairman of the Supreme Court, will take over the Justice Minister?s position, replacing Giorgi Papuashvili; the latter will be nominated as the Minister of Environment, replacing Tamar Lebanidze.

Other Ministers will remain at their current posts:

Vano Merabishvili ? the Interior Minister;
Irakli Okruashvili ? the Defense Minister;
Salome Zourabichvili ? the Foreign Minister;
Lexo Alexishvili ? the Economy Minister;
Nika Gilauri ? the Energy Minister;
Lado Chipashvili ?the Healthcare Minister;
Kakha Lomaia ? the Minister of Education and Science;
Goka Gabashvili ? the Minister of Culture and Sport;
Eter Astemirova ? the Minister of Refugees and Accommodation;
Goga Khaindrava – the Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues;
Zinaida Bestaeva – the State Minister for Civil Integration Issues;
Giorgi Baramidze ? the State Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration Issues;
Kakha Bendukidze ? the State Minister for Economic Reforms.