Minister of Infrastructure resigns
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, April 22
The Minister of Infrastructure, Davit Shavliashvili, has tended his resignation to the Prime Minister.
The official statement posted on the ministry webpage reads that the minister made his decision due to health-related problems.
The decision appeared to be unexpected for Shavliashvili’s deputy, Nodar Javakhishvili.
However, he confirmed that Shavliashvili was undergoing medical treatment.
“His resignation cannot be related to his activities in the ministry as the government was happy with the steps taken by the minister,” Javakhishvili said.
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili has stated that Shavliahsvili asked him to sign his resignation appeal several times.
“The reason of the appeal was a serious illness he found out about in December. The illness is genetic. However I asked him not to leave as we faced a hard economic period back then.
“He is a very good manager and was not afraid of taking risks,” Gharibashvili said.
The Prime Minister stressed that the government reshuffle was a common situation in any country and already named Shavliashvili's replacement.
“After some consultation, we have decided that the new minister will be Nodar Javakhishvili,” Gharibashvili said, adding that Javakhishvili was ready to take on the responsibility at once.
Before coming into politics through the 2012 parliamentary elections, Javakhishvili held a leading post in Bank Cartu, which was established by the founder of the Georgian Dream coalition, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.
The opposition United National Movement (UNM) accuses Ivanishvili of running the country from the backstage, as well as nepotism.
The party claims that the people are appointed to high posts based on their relationship to Ivanishvili and Gharibashvili.
