| Tbilisi State University to Elect Rector |
| Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 13 Dec.'04 / 11:53 |
Five candidates are running for this position, including Rusudan Lortkipanidze, who previously served as Georgia’s Ambassador to Italy and is viewed as President Saakashvili's favored candidate.
TSU’s former Rector Roin Metreveli, who had been the chief of the university for the last 13 years, resigned on October 1 after both a wave of corruption charges surfaced from a faction of students and after receiving pressure from the government.
Following Metreveli’s resignation President Saakashvili announced that Rusudan Lortkipanidze would be the best replacement for Metreveli.
President Saakashvili’s involvement in the process sparked protests by a portion of TSU students, mainly the supporters of the ex-Rector.
This particular faction of students is also protesting against anticipated reforms of the Georgian education system, which, according to the authorities, are aimed at curbing corruption, which has prevailed in the education sector for many years.
Those students who are against the proposed governmental reforms claim that the anticipated reforms will undermine the Georgian “national mentality” and “self-identity” and, in turn, demanded the resignation of Education Minister Kakha Lomaia, who was dubbed by these students as “George Soros’ spy.” Kakha Lomaia was chief of the Open Society – Georgia Foundation before being appointment Education Minister.
Those students who protest the reforms nominated Mikheil Kurdiani for the position of Rector.