President nominates new head of Adjaran Government
By Mariam Chanishvili
Friday, July 15
President Giorgi Margvelashvili nominated Zurab Pataradze as the new head of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. Margvelashvili hopes that the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara will support the candidate. He nominated Pataradze’s candidacy after concluding consultations with the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara.
Zurab Pataradze, from Batumi, is the acting Ambassador of Georgia in Kazakhstan. He is the only candidate nominated for the post. He used to work as General Consul in Turkey in 2011-2012, and also worked at the Anti-Organized Crime Unit of Adjara Autonomous Republic’s Ministry of Internal Affairs before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2000.
The previous head of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Archil Khabadze, tendered his resignation on July 6, three months before the elections. According to Khabadze, the decision was made after consulting with the political team. His cabinet had been in power for 44 months.
"A few days ago, Archil Khabadze made a statement regarding his resignation. He resigned due to the intense election campaign that will shortly begin and the activities in which he is going to be involved in. I would like to thank Khabadze for his work in Adjara,” stated Giorgi Margvelashvili.
According to legislation, the President has to nominate a new head of the Local Government in Adjara after consulting with political groups in the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. The President can name a candidate which must then be supported by the Central Government. A candidate nominated by the President, will then require confirmation by Adjara’s Supreme Council. A minimum of 11 votes are necessary for the approval of the President’s nominee.
