Head of Adjara Gov’t Resigns Claims the Decision is Agreed
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, July 5
The head of the Adjara Autonomous Republic Government of Georgia Zurab Pataradze has announced his resignation on Wednesday, saying that the decision was agreed with the team and that there is nothing extraordinary about it.
“It is an ordinary rotation,” said Pataradze and expressed particular gratitude to the founder of the Georgian Dream ruling party, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.
The opposition, however, is sure that the reason of the resignation was Pataradze’s friendly attitude with the former Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who also resigned in mid-June.
Before making the statement about quitting his post, Pataradze spoke about the infrastructural projects in the coastal region of Georgia and thanked the Cartu Foundation and its head Bidzina Ivanishvili for their “ special contribution to vitally important projects.”
A member of the United National Movement opposition Roman Gotsiridze says that Pataradze had to quit his post as he was on good terms with ex-PM Kvirikashvili.
Pataradze, who previously served as Georgia’s ambassador to Kazakhstan, took the post in July 2016.
He was nominated by President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili for the role.
The Adjara Government, which is an executive body, is accountable to the Adjara Supreme Council and the president of Georgia.
A new candidate in the post will need to be approved by the majority of the 21-member Adjara Supreme Council.
An expert for constitution Vakhushti Menabde says that unclear legislation over the appointment of the Adjara government head may create problems between the government and the president of Georgia.
Menabde says that based on the Georgian constitution, after the Adjara legislative body is elected, a candidate for the Adjara government head is nominated by president after the consultations with the government.
“Now only the Adjara government head resigned. As there is no clear note about the mandatory procedures for such cases, the president may nominate a new head of the Adjara government without any beforehand agreement with the government,” Menabde says.
The expert states that now it is up to the president how he will interpret the obscure legislation.
