Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania announced, late on December 14, plans to restructure the government and reshuffle the cabinet in an attempt, as they put it, “to boost reforms.”

The recent cabinet reshuffle comes just six months after the government received a vote of confidence from the Parliament in June.

As a result of the proposed government restructuring, the State Security Ministry will merge with the Interior Ministry.

“There will be a united Ministry of Police and Public Security. Within this Ministry there will be an autonomous structure – the counter-intelligence service. This service will be of vital importance, especially against the background of the recent increased activities by foreign secret services in Georgia,” President Saakashvili said.

“As a result of this structural change, the new government will be transformed into a western type model and will finally break from the Soviet heritage,” Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said.

President Saakashvili said that Security Minister Vano Merabishvili will lead the new Ministry of Police and Public Security.

Irakli Okruashvili, who is currently the Interior Minister, will become Defense Minister, replacing Giorgi Baramidze.

Baramidze has been nominated as the State Minister for European Integration Issues, replacing Tamar Beruchashvili.  Baramidze will also be the Vice-Premier.

Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania announced that Economy Minister Kakha Bendukidze will become State Minister in charge of economic reforms. The Georgian leadership recruited the Russian-based tycoon Kakha Bendukidze, a native Georgian, as Economy Minister in June.

“It [State Minster for Economic Reforms] will not be a symbolic position. He will enjoy the President’s and Prime Minister’s mandate to carry out more rapid reforms in all sectors of the economy,” Zurab Zhvania said.

Deputy Finance Minister Lexo Alexishvili will replace Kakha Bendukidze on the post of Economy Minister.

Mikhail Svimonishvili will become the new Minister of Agriculture, replacing Davit Shervashidze. Businessman Mikhail Svimonishvili was recently appointed as chief of the Tbilisi Architecture Service.

The number of State Ministers will also be downsized as a result of the structural changes of the government. There will be four State Ministers instead of the current six. The positions of State Minister for Regional Management and Self-Government (held by Zurab Melikishvili, who is now the Governor of Kvemo Kartli region) and Minister for Medium and Small Business Issues (currently held by Jambul Bakuradze) will be abolished. 

Zinaida Bestaeva, an ethnic Ossetian, will become the State Minister for Civil Integration Issues, replacing Guram Absandze. Zinaida Bestaeva was born in Tskhinvali, the capital of breakaway South Ossetia and has spent last ten years living in North Ossetia.

“The door for integration with us is open--first of all for our Ossetian and Abkhaz brothers,” Zurab Zhvania said.

The structural, as well as staff changes in the government should be approved by the Parliament.

All other Ministers will remain on their positions: Salome Zourabichvili – the Foreign Minister; Nika Gilauri – the Energy Minister; Giorgi Papuashvili – the Justice Minister; Lado Chipashvili –the Healthcare Minister; Kakha Lomaia – the Minister of Education and Science; Goka Gabashvili – the Minister of Culture and Sport; Eter Astemirova – the Minister of Refugees and Accommodation; Tamar Lebanidze – the Minister of Environment; and Goga Khaindrava - the Minister of Conflict Resolution.