Georgian Prime Minister Reshuffles Cabinet

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili


Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has reshuffled his cabinet, saying it needed new "energy" and "efficiency."

The changes in the government announced by Garibashvili on July 21 affected seven cabinet members, with two of them switching posts and the other five getting sacked.

Sozar Subari, who had been in charge of the country's prisons, has been named internally displaced persons and accommodation minister, replacing Davit Darakhvelidze.

Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Elguja Khokrishvili will become the environmental protection minister, replacing Khatuna Gogaladze.

Ministers who lost their cabinet posts are Agriculture Minister Shalva Pipia, Culture Minister Guram Odisharia, and Diaspora Minister Konstantine Surguladze.

Garibashvili told reporters in Tbilisi that he will name candidates to replace the fired ministers later this week.

The new cabinet ministers will have to be approved by a vote in parliament.

Garibashvili's Georgian Dream coalition came to power in 2012.

With reporting by civil.ge and Reuters