President Giorgi Margvelashvili said on Tuesday that he set October 8 as the date of the parliamentary elections.

President’s televised announcement on Tuesday evening came shortly after his meeting with PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

According to Georgia’s constitution elections should be held in October, but it’s up to the President to set an exact date no later than two months before the voting day.

President Margvelashvili said that his decision will be sent to the PM for approval, or as it is called “countersignature”, on April 6.

According to the constitution some decisions of the President require “countersignature” from the PM. The fact that the announcement came just after the meeting of the PM and the President suggests that the elections date was agreed at that meeting.

President Margvelashvili said that he had a “fruitful meeting” with the PM during which “situation in the region, as well as coordinated work internally and externally for the benefit of Georgia and the region” was discussed.

The meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze; Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli; head of the State Security Service Vakhtang Gomelauri; head of the Intelligence Service Davit Sujashvili; secretary of the State Security and Crisis Management Council Mindia Janelidze; chairman of the parliamentary committee for foreign affairs, GD MP Tedo Japaridze; Secretary of President’s National Security Council Irina Imerlishvili and chief of president’s administration Giorgi Abashishvili.

The meeting was held in the PM’s office, which said in a press release that Georgia’s internal developments, as well as situation in the region was discussed. It also said that the President briefed participants of the meeting about his recent trip to Washington, where he took part in the Nuclear Security Summit.

Before the meeting the Georgian media was abuzz with speculation about possible cabinet reshuffle affecting Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli and two other members of the cabinet from the Republican Party – Gigla Agulashvili, the Environment Protection Minister, and Paata Zakareishvili, the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality.

The rumors were denied by the PM’s office and the President said that no cabinet reshuffle was discussed at the meeting.