Tbilisi: Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze announced his resignation on Monday, sparking speculation about his successor in a country rocked by anti-government protests accusing the authorities of ties to Russia.
Bakhtadze, 37, who has been in office since June 2018, also thanked Bidzina Ivanishvili — the billionaire head of the increasingly unpopular ruling Georgian Dream party — widely believed to be calling the shots in Georgia, for his “support and confidence.
“I took the decision to resign from my post as I think that at this stage I’ve accomplished my mission,” Bakhtadze told a press conference, adding that he “has no intention of remaining in active politics.” He said consultations were on in the ruling party to select his successor and that the annoucement would be made on Thursday.
Georgian media reported that the powerful Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia could become the next prime minister.
Gakharia’s appointment is likely to further fuel the already tense political atmosphere in the tiny Black Sea nation of some 3.7 million.
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