The Resonance; The Dilis Gazeti
(Georgian Press Digest. 22.11.01. Civil Georgia) – The Parliament approved the law enforcement ministers unanimously yesterday. But the experience shows that MPs have always supported ministers but have opposed them after a while, the Resonance says. It presumes that the Parliament will not approve any of the old ministers proposed as new candidatures.
The legislative branch approved Koba Narchemashvili on the post of Internal Affairs Ministry with 208 votes. “Even though the Parliament reminded Koba Narchemashvili about his devotion to former Interior Minister Kakha Targamadze relied on his words and voted for him anyway”, the Dilis Gazeti says and assumes that he got the post of the Minister through deals with MPs. The paper is sure that all the pre-election plans and intention to pass reforms was just formal part of his speech.
Parliamentary opposition had always criticized the majority about it having voted for the Ministers suspected in corruption. According to the Dilis Gazeti, large part of the so-called opposition made deals with the ministerial candidates in the lobbies. That was why the opposition was insisting on secret ballot yesterday. It would support the candidates secretly and would avoid responsibility in case of their ineffective work.
Except the Internal Minister, the Parliament also approved Ministers of Defense – Davit Tevzadze, of Justice – Roland Giligashvili, and of State Security – Valeri Khaburdzania who promised MPs he would work on the draft-law of lustration.
According to the Dilis Gazeti, candidature of Zurab Nogaideli on the Finance Minister post will be a matter of the biggest debates in the Parliament. “The interesting thing is not who will resist the Nogaideli actually being able to resist strong family clans, but who will be appointed on his positions”, the paper says and it obviously supports the former Finance Minister.