PM Appoints New Infrastructure Minister amid Opposition’s Speculations on Corruption
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, April 2
The Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili presented new Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure on Friday, shortly after the Georgian media and the opposition reported audit entered the ministry and former head of the body Zurab Alavidze could face problems.
The former head of the Government Administration of Georgia Maia Tskitishvili occupied the new position in the Infrastructure Ministry, while Alavidze was stated to return back to the private sector.
Introducing Tskitishvili at a special briefing as a “very successful head of administration who dealt with a huge volume of tasks”, Kvirikashvili said she will be a very successful minister as well.
Kvirikashvili claimed that Alavidze, who was appointed as a minister in 2016, tendered his resignation a couple of days ago in order to return to the private sector where he has a long record of experience.
“I want to say that wherever he has worked, Zura [Zurab Alavidze] has been a significantly effective manager. He has always been against bureaucracy and he is a very results-oriented person”, Kvirikashvili stated.
Hearing about the reshuffle members of the parliamentary minority from the United National Movement and the European Georgia stated the PM’s decision proved some corruption-related illegalities took place in the ministry.
Both parliamentary and non-parliamentary opposition members admitted Tskitishvili is a qualified state servant. However, they believe she will not take a step without consent from the country’s former Prime Minister, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who “runs the country from the backstage.”
The opposition reminded public that until taking the state post in 2012, after the Georgian Dream coalition founded by Ivanishvili defeated the nine-year rule of the United National Movement government, Tskitishvili served in Ivanishvili’s Cartu foundation.
The new minister has domestic and foreign education in the economic direction.
