Irakli Okruashvili, the ex-defense minister, has sacked MP Gia Tortladze, the chairman of his political party.

Okruashvili, who is in France awaiting a court hearing on his asylum request, also sacked MP Gia Tsagareishvili as his party’s secretary general.

It is expected that Okruashvili himself will be elected as the party chairman at a party conference due in a few weeks. Movement for United Georgia Party elected MP Tortladze as chairman at the party's inaugural assembly in December and Okruashvili, who at the time was in custody in Germany, was elected as an honorary chairman.

Both Tortladze and Tsagareishvili denied that they had any immediate plans to quit the party, although they said it was a possibility.

Meanwhile, MP Keti Makharashvili announced on March 4 that she was quitting the Movement for United Georgia, citing disagreement with Okruashvili over “key issues.” She did not elaborate. She also said that she would no longer remain in politics.