Ruling party top fifteen
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, July 14
The ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG) Party has presented its top 15 of the election list, which included new and young faces mainly in the fields of education and law.
Presenting the candidates late on July 13, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said “Georgian politics needs renewed vigour and an innovative vision.”
The PM then said the GDDG would present a rejuvenated election list that would revive not only the GDDG party itself but Georgian politics in general.
“Only state-oriented people of high moral standards can build a country, and this was our guiding principle in the selection of our new members whose good reputation and professionalism speak for themselves,” the PM said.
The top 15, selected for the upcoming October 8 parliamentary elections, included:
Tamar Chugoshvili: a lawyer and a human rights advocate and a graduate of Harvard University and the Kennedy School of Government. In 2013-2014 she was the Assistant to the Prime Minister of Georgia on Human Rights and Gender Equality, also serving as the head of the Human Rights Secretariat at the Government of Georgia.
Giorgi Gakharia: A Lomonosov University graduate, and holder of a Master’s degree in business management and political studies.
Irakli Kobakhidze: He studied law in Tbilisi University and in Germany. In 2006, he received a doctoral academic degree from Dusseldorf University. For years, he worked as an expert and project manager for different international organizations, also pursuing a pedagogical career in various schools of higher education.
Akaki Zoidze: A Columbia University graduate specializing in governance with seven years of experience in public service. In the capacity of World Bank, UN, eurozone, and US expert in international development, he has participated in the healthcare system reforms in 15 European and Asian countries.
Archil Talakvadze: A management expert who has studied at Tbilisi Medical University and GIPA and has worked for the USAID Democratic Governance Program, subsequently serving for two years in the Ministry of Corrections where he contributed to its reform. Presently he is the Deputy Interior Minister.
Tamar Khulordava: A legal scholar currently serving as First Deputy Minister of Corrections and Probation. For years, Tamar held the position of Manager for Rule of Law Programs at the EU Delegation.
Irina Pruidze: Her background covers psychology and practical medicine.
Kakha Kuchava: A legal scholar, a Nottingham University graduate, and a corporate law master’s degree holder who has dedicated the last five years to working in the private sector, mainly the mining industry.
Mamuka Mdinaradze: He holds a PhD degree in law. He is known as a successful lawyer who serves as Chair of the Advocates’ Alliance and the head of the Georgian Paralympic Foundation.
Mariam Jashi: A Harvard University graduate, a holder of Kennedy School of Government master’s degree in public administration, and an MPH. She has recently served as the Deputy Minister of Health.
Nino Goguadze: An international law expert. She spent six years serving as a member of the Central Election Commission.
Roman Kakulia: Head of the Department for Coordinating EU Programs at the Office of the State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
Sopo Kiladze: A lawyer and a Heidelberg University graduate who has worked in the Max Planck Institute (Germany) and taught at the Interior Ministry Academy.
Sopo Katsarava: An expert in foreign languages who has served as a Political Officer for the UK Embassy, also serving as a PR Officer and Project Coordinator for the Embassy. She has also led the Embassy’s Chevening Scholarship Program. Before the Embassy, she worked for the World Wildlife Fund.
Sopo Japaridze: A master’s degree holder in human rights international law, an Essex University graduate, and the Prime Minister’s Assistant on Human Rights and Gender Equality, a legal expert for EU-funded projects, former Deputy Minister of Corrections and Probation, with years of experience working in the nongovernmental sector.
