Contrary to assumptions that after the resignation of Interior Minister Bacho Akhalaia the cabinet should face confidence vote in the Parliament, no such procedure is now required and it will only be needed after the President nominates new interior minister, government’s parliamentary secretary, Gia Khuroshvili, said on September 21.

After Akhalaia’s resignation first deputy interior minister, Eka Zguladze, became an acting minister, but President Saakashvili has not named anyone for the post.

According to the constitution a confidence vote is required in the Parliament if one-third of 21-member cabinet is “renewed” since the last such vote. Since early July, when the new cabinet led by PM Vano Merabishvili was confirmed by the Parliament, there have been seven changes in the government; the most recent one was resignation of Akhalaia; but according to Khuroshvili, this change does not fall under the category of “renewal” because no new candidacy for interior minister has yet been proposed by the President.

Asked if the new interior minister would be nominated before the October 1 parliamentary elections, the government’s parliamentary secretary told Civil.ge on September 21: “A political decision will be made about it by the President, of course in agreement with the PM.”

According to the constitution, after the October elections, the government and PM will have to resign and President Saakashvili will have to present new cabinet or re-submit the one existing at the time to the newly elected Parliament for confidence vote.