Georgia's prime minister says he is reshuffling the cabinet and cutting several ministries in an effort to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili told reporters in Tbilisi on November 13 that four ministries -- energy, environment and mineral resources, sports and youth, and corrections -- will merge with the ministries of economy, agriculture, culture, and justice, respectively.
Kvirikashvili also said that Economy Minister Giorgi Gakharia will be appointed as interior minister and as a deputy prime minister, while Finance Minister Dimitri Kumsishvili will become economy minister and retain the post of deputy prime minister.
Kvirikashvili also said that he has proposed Georgian Railways chief Mamuka Bakhtadze as finance minister and wants Mikheil Chkhenkeli, a deputy rector at Tbilisi State University, to be education and science minister.
Kvirikashvili said the changes will be confirmed by the government soon.
The new government will then be subject to approval by parliament, in which the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party holds a majority of seats.
