President Saakashvili appointed a ruling party lawmaker, Giorgi Tatishvili, as new governor of Shida Kartli region, Davit Tkeshelashvili, chief of the President’s administration, said on September 14.

Tatishvili replaced Zurab Arsoshvili, who served on the post for last fourteen months. 

Tatishvili, 35, served in an investigative unit of the Finance Ministry’s revenue service before being elected as a majoritarian MP in Gori single-mandate constituency in 2008.

His appointment makes one majoritarian seat vacant in the Parliament, but no MP by-election is expected to be held in Gori before the next parliamentary elections, scheduled for autumn, 2012.