Upcoming MIA chief named
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, November 11
The Head of Tbilisi's main police department, Aleksandre Tchikaidze,will replace Interior Minister Irakli Gharibashvili on the position. Gharibashvili, who will be the new Prime Minister of Georgia after the president’s inauguration, revealed his replacement on November 9.
Gharibashvili stressed that Tchikaidze was born into a family of an honorable policeman and has excellent managerial skills.
“He worked at all the low-level positions and knows the system,” Gharibashvili said, adding that after he was appointed as the Minister of Internal Affairs (MIA), he sent Tchikaidze to Kakheti, as the head of the Kakheti Regional Police Department.
“He managed to create a well-organized system in the department. Afterwards, I appointed him as the head of Tbilisi's main police department,” Gharibashvili stressed.
Tchikaidze stated that he would be “a worthy successor” of the path Gharibashvili has carved out.
The parliamentary majority support Gharibashvili’s choice. According to the Minister of the Penitentiary and Corrections, Sozar Subari, Gharibashvili with Tchikaidze managed to change the criminal situation in Tbilisi.
“Tchikaidze created a successful team and I am sure that he will successfully continue with additional positive steps at the MIA,” Subari said.
The same aspiration was shared by Georgian Dream MPs Irakli Sesiashvili and Eka Beselia. They emphasized that criminal cases in Tbilisi under Tchikaidze were investigated more thoroughly, and that criminal actions significantly reduced.
Members of the parliamentary minority the United National Movement (UNM) speak about nepotism and claim that there are some “relationship ties” between Gharibashvili’s father- in- law and Tchikaidze.
UNM representative Givi Targamadze states that Tchikaidze worked at the MIA under the UNM government as well and he was not negatively characterized.
“However, friendly relations were the key reason in selecting Tchikaidze to the position. Tchikaidze’s father and Gharibashvili’s father-in-law had friendly relations,” Targamadze said.
Analyst Kakha Kakhishvili believes that frequent changes at the MIA might not be a positive thing. He also stressed that experience is of significant importance for the position.
“Only professional skills are not enough to run the Interior Ministry in Georgia,” Kakhishvili stated.
Fellow analyst Mamuka Areshidze thinks that Gharibashvili shifted more attention on the executors.
“It is positive that Tchikaidze managed Tbilisi's main police department effectively. When the citizens do not know the name and surname of the police chief it is also positive, this means that he did not create discomfort,” Areshidze said.
