Georgia’s Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Levan Kipiani has announced his decision to step down as minister. “I am leaving my post… I put the state interests above my personal ones,” Kipiani told reporters at the ministry, on April 29. After the press conference, Kipiani will visit the Chancellery of the Georgian Government to submit a relevant application addressed to Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
What made the minister to step down is the discontent of parliamentarians, who earlier did not show any disagreement with his activity. Yesterday, 11 out of the 17 members of the Parliament Committee for Sport and Youth Affairs signed a relevant statement. According to Civil.ge, the parliamentarians say “development of sports in Georgia has come to a standstill,” no measures have been taken to reform the sector, and the program elaborated by the ministry “has remained on paper.”
EADaily reported earlier that Kipiani has become the third minister to step down over the last few days. Yesterday, Minister for Protection of Environment and Natural Resources Elguja Khokrishvili sent in his resignation. On April 21, Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructures David Shavliashvili left his post. Since July 2014 - when the Georgian Government led by Garibashvili enlisted the support of the parliament - Kipiani’s resignation has become the seventh change in the government staff in Georgia. In the given period of time, the following officials were dismissed: Defense Minister Irakli Alasania, Foreign Minister Maya Panjikidze, State Minister for Integration into European and Euro-Atlantic Organizations Alex Petriashvili, Interior Minister Alexander Chikaidze, and Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure David Shavliashvili.
Under the Constitution of Georgia, an issue of confidence to the government arises only when 1/3 of the ministers resign. The cabinet and the prime minister will have to undergo a new approval procedure by Parliament. At the moment, within Georgia’s laws, the ruling coalition Georgian Dream - the largest parliamentary group - is to nominate a new prime minister. Afterwards, within 7 days, President of Georgia Georgi Margvelashvili is to formally introduce the candidate for the post of the prime minister nominated by the parliament majority. Then, the potential prime minister is to select the candidates for the posts of ministers within 7 days and introduce them to the parliament along with the government program. The new cabinet and the prime minister will need 75 votes to be approved. The ruling coalition Georgian Dream holds 87 out of 150 seats in the parliament.