Defense Minister, State Minister for Reconciliation Resign, Effective Aug.1
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 29 Jul.'16 / 10:21

Cabinet members from the Republican Party – Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli and State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Paata Zakareishvili, have resigned, effective August 1.

PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili has yet to name new ministers for the two cabinet posts, which will become vacant next week.

Intention of Khidasheli and Zakareishvili to resign was first announced on July 12.

Announcing about the decision of the Republican cabinet members to resign, one of the leaders of the party, parliament speaker Davit Usupashvili said on July 12 that although parties in the GD ruling coalition decided to part ways and run separately in the October 8 parliamentary elections, the Republican Party was ready to remain in the coalition government with the ruling GDDG party before the end of elections.

But, according to Usupashvili, GDDG decided otherwise and told the Republican Party cabinet members to either quit the Republican Party and remain in the government or resign from cabinet posts.

Unlike Khidasheli and Zakareishvili, the third Republican cabinet member, Minister of Environment Gigla Agulashvili, opted in favor of staying in the cabinet and quitting the Republican Party.

Zakareishvili has been the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality since the Georgian Dream coalition came into government after the October, 2012 parliamentary elections.

Khidasheli, who became the cabinet member in May 2015, was the third Defense Minister since the GD coalition came into government.

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