Apart of naming some of the ministerial candidates, Georgian Dream leader Bidzina Ivanishvili also nominated on October 8 candidates for the posts in the newly elected Parliament.

Republican Party leader, Davit Usupashvili, will be elected as the new parliamentary chairman; under the existing constitution the post is the second highest ranking after the President.

Manana Kobakhidze, chairperson of Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG) party, was named as the first vice-speaker.

Other vice-speakers from the Georgian Dream will be Zviad Dzidziguri of Conservative Party; Zurab Tkemaladze of Industrialists party and Zurab Abashidze of Our Georgia-Free Democrats (OGFD).

Davit Usupashvili told Civil.ge on October 8, that Davit Saganelidze of GDDG would be named for the post of parliamentary majority leader. He said that the Georgian Dream had not yet defined how many factions the parliamentary majority will have in the Parliament.

Nine out of fifteen parliamentary committees will be led by representatives from Ivanishvili’s GDDG party; Irakli Alasania-led OGFD party members will chair three committees; Republican Party members - two. Chairmanship of one committee may go to National Forum representative.

Posts for the parliamentary committees’ chairmanship will be distributed as follows:

• Committee for Agriculture – Gigla Agulashvili of the Republican Party;
• Committee for Human Rights and Civil Integration – Eke Beselia of GDDG;
• Committee for Education, Science and Culture – Ivane Kiguradze of GDDG
• Committee for Environment Protection and Natural Resources – Gia Tsagareishvili of OGFD;
• Committee for Sector Economy and Economic Policy – Nodar Khaduri of GDDG;
• Committee for European Integration – Victor Dolidze of OGFD;
• Committee for Defense and Security – Irakli Sesiashvili of GDDG
• Committee for Legal Issues – Vakhtang Khmaladze of the Republican Party;
• Committee for Regional Policy, Self-Government and Mountain Regions – Irakli Tripolski of GDDG;
• Committee for Foreign Affairs – Tedo Japaridze of GDDG; he Georgia’s ambassador to the U.S. for over seven years till 2002 and served as Foreign Minister for four months in late 2003 and early 2004;
• Committee for Procedural Issues and Rules – Irina Imerlishvili of GDDG;
• Committee for Finances and Budgetary Issues – Davit Onoprishvili of OGFD;
• Committee for Sport and Youth Affairs – Leri Khabelov of GDDG; he is 1992 Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling;
• Committee for Healthcare and Social Issues – Dimitri Khundadze GDDG;

Ivanishvili said that he would like Gubaz Sanikidze of the National Forum to take the post of chairman of parliamentary committee for diaspora and Caucasus issues; he, however, also said the issue was not yet finally decided.