Government Reshuffle Announced

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania announced late on December 14 about the plans to restructure government and reshuffle cabinet.

As a result the State Security Ministry will merge with the Interior Ministry.

?There will be a united Ministry of Police and Public Security. Within this Ministry there will be an autonomous structure ? the counterintelligence service,? President Saakashvili said.

He said that Security Minister Vano Merabishvili will lead the new Ministry.

Irakli Okruashvili, who currently is the Interior Minister, will become Defense Minister replacing Giorgi Baramidze. The latter is nominated as the State Minister for European Integration Issues, replacing Tamar Beruchashvili. Baramidze will also be the Vice-Premier.

Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania announced that Economy Minister Kakha Bendukidze will become State Minister in charge of economic reforms.

?It [State Minster for Economic Reforms] will not be a symbolic position. He will enjoy with the President?s and Prime Minister?s huge mandate to carry out more rapid reforms in all sectors of the economy,? Zurab Zhvania said.

Deputy Finance Minister Lexo Alexishvili will replace Kakha Bendukidze on the Economy Minister?s post.

Mikhail Svimonishvili will become Minister of Agriculture replacing Davit Shervashidze. Businessmen Mikhail Svimonishvili has been appointed as chief of the Tbilisi Architecture Service just recently.

Zinaida Bestaeva, ethnic Ossetian will become the State Minister for Civil Integration Issues replacing Guram Absandze. ?Door for integration with us is open and first of all for our Ossetian and Abkhaz brothers,? Zurab Zhvania said.