PM Hints on Possible Dismissal of One Minister
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 29 Apr.'13 / 16:22

PM Ivanishvili gave his biggest hint so far that one of the ministers of his cabinet, whom he did not specify, may lose a post.

“I no longer have a big hope that we will be able to sort out [the problem] with this minister,” he told journalists on April 29.

He first indicated on having problems with one of the ministers last week in an interview with the Rustavi 2 TV. In the same interview he also said that in overall the cabinet was “very good” and praised Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani, Education Minister Giorgi Margvelashvili, Interior  Minister Irakli Garibashvili and added: “Alasania is not working poorly either.”

Asked on April 29 which minister was the target of his complaints, Ivanishvili responded that he would speak publicly on the issue and reasons behind the problem later and he would do it even in the case if it’s possible to positively sort out the problem with that minister.

Commenting on PM’s remarks, Parliamentary Chairman Davit Usupashvili said he was not aware which minister Ivanishvili meant.

“I think that every [minister] works quite well,” Usupashvili said, but also added that it was the PM’s constitutional right to dismiss a minister; Parliament will only have to confirm the reshuffled cabinet if one-third of its members are replaced.

“I personally do not see that there is a need for this [changes in the cabinet], but my personal opinion in this regard is not sufficient, because it is the Prime Minister, who watches over ministers’ everyday work,” Usupashvili said.

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