Prime Minister of Georgia

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Prime Minister of Georgia
Greater coat of arms of Georgia.svg
Coat of Arms of Georgia
Irakli Garibashvili 2013. 2 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Irakli Garibashvili
since 22 February 2021
Administration of the Government of Georgia
StyleHis Excellency (diplomatic)
StatusHead of Government
AbbreviationPM, Premier
Member ofCabinet
National Security Council
SeatGovernment Chancellery
NominatorThe Parliament
AppointerThe President
(President appoints the designated prime minister who has been confirmed by the parliament)
Term lengthFour years, renewable indefinitely
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Georgia
Inaugural holderNoe Ramishvili (Georgian Democratic Republic)
Formation26 May 1918; 103 years ago (1918-05-26)
DeputyFirst Deputy Prime Minister
Salary13,000 GEL per month[1]
Websitehttp://gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG
Politics of Georgia
Greater coat of arms of Georgia.svg
Constitution
Executive
Legislature
Judiciary
Local government
Election Administration
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The Prime Minister of Georgia (Georgian: საქართველოს პრემიერ-მინისტრი, romanized: sakartvelos p'remier-minist'ri) is the head of government and chief executive of Georgia.

In Georgia, the President is a ceremonial head of state and mainly acts as a figurehead. The executive power is vested in the Government. The prime minister organizes, directs, and controls the functions of the Government. He also signs its legal acts. They appoint and dismiss ministers in the Cabinet. The prime minister represents Georgia in foreign relations and concludes international treaties on behalf of Georgia. They are accountable for the activities of the Government before the Parliament of Georgia.[2]

The prime minister is nominated by a political party that has secured the best results in the parliamentary election. The nominee must win the Confidence vote of the Parliament. Irakli Garibashvili is the incumbent prime minister. He succeeded Giorgi Gakharia on 22 February 2021.

History[]

The office of Prime Minister under the name of the Chairman of Government was introduced in Georgia upon its declaration of independence in May 1918. It was abolished with the Soviet takeover of the country in February 1921. The newly independent Georgia established the position of Prime Minister in August 1991, only to be abolished de facto in the aftermath of the January 1992 military coup and legally in the 1995 Constitution. The office was reintroduced in the February 2004 constitutional amendment and further modified as a result of series of amendments passed between 2012 and 2018.

From its reestablishment in 2004 and throughout the presidency of Mikheil Saakashvili, the prime minister was appointed by and served as the chief adviser to the President, who exercised most of the executive powers. However, after the entry into force of the 2012 and 2018 constitutional amendments, that instituted Georgia as a parliamentary republic, the President's executive powers were eliminated and transferred to the Prime Minister.

Qualifications[]

The office of Prime Minister may not be held by a citizen of Georgia who is simultaneously the citizen of a foreign country.[3]

Appointment[]

The Prime Minister is nominated by a political party that has secured the best results in the parliamentary election. The nominee for premiership and his ministerial candidates must win the confidence vote of the Parliament and then, within 2 days of a vote of confidence, be formally appointed by the President of Georgia. If the President does not appoint the Prime Minister within the established time frame, the Prime Minister will be appointed automatically. If the parliamentary vote of confidence is not passed within the established time frame, the President dissolves the Parliament no earlier than two weeks and no later than three weeks after the respective time frame has expired, and calls extraordinary parliamentary election.[4]

Functions[]

The Prime Minister of Georgia is the head of the Government, responsible for government activities and appointment and dismissal of ministers. They are accountable before the parliament. Prime Minister signs the legal acts of the government[2] and countersigns some of the acts issued by the President of Georgia.[5]

The Prime Minister has the right to use the Defense Forces without the Parliament's approval during martial law.[6] During the martial law, the Prime Minister becomes a member of the National Defense Council, a consultative body chaired by the President of Georgia.[7] Although it is the President who is officially the commander-in-chief, in practice the military is managed by the Government and Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister is also the head of the National Security Council.

List of heads of government of Georgia (1918–present)[]

Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–1921)[]

Prime ministers
No. Picture Name
(Birth–Death) 		Began office Left office Party Title(s)
1 Noeramishvilipic.jpg Noe Ramishvili
(1881–1930) 		26 May 1918 24 June 1918 Social Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman of Government
2 Noe Schordania.jpg Noe Zhordania
(1868–1953) 		24 June 1918 18 March 1921 Social Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman of Government

Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (1921–1991)[]

No. Picture Name
(Birth–Death) 		Began office Left office Party Title(s)
1 Polikarp Mdivani.jpg Polikarp Mdivani
(1887–1937) 		7 March 1922 April 1922 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars
2 Sergey Kavtaradze
(1885–1971) 		April 1922 January 1923 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars
3 Shalva Eliava - 2.jpg Shalva Eliava
(1883–1937) 		January 1923 June 1927 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars
4 L I Lavrentiev Kartvelishvili.jpg Lavrenty Kartvelishvili
(1890–1938) 		June 1927 June 1929 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars
5 Filipp Makharadze.jpg Filipp Makharadze
(1886–1941) 		June 1929 January 1931 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars
6 No image.png January 1931 22 September 1931 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars
7 Вручение орденов ЦИК СССР.jpg
(?–1937) 		22 September 1931 9 July 1937 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars
8 No image.png
(1901–1971) 		9 July 1937 15 April 1946 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars
15 April 1946 December 1946 Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
9 No image.png
(1903–?) 		December 1946 6 April 1952 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
10 No image.png
(1902–1970) 		6 April 1952 16 April 1953 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
11 No image.png
(1901–1971) 		16 April 1953 20 September 1953 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
12 No image.png Givi Javakhishvili
(1912–1985) 		21 September 1953 17 December 1975 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
13 No image.png Zurab Pataridze [ru]
(1928–1982) 		17 December 1975 5 June 1982 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
14 No image.png  [ru]
(1927–2009) 		2 July 1982 12 April 1986 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
15 No image.png  [ru]
(1933–2004) 		12 April 1986 29 March 1989 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
16 No image.png  [ru]
(1930–2007) 		29 March 1989 14 April 1989 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
17 No image.png  [ru]
(1935–) 		14 April 1989 15 November 1990 Communist Party of Georgia Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
18 Tengiz Sigua
(1934–2020) 		15 November 1990 18 August 1991 Independent Chairmen of the Council of Ministers

Republic of Georgia (1991–1995)[]

Prime ministers
No. Name
(Born–Died) 		Picture Took Office Left Office Party
— Murman Omanidze
(1938–2020)
(acting) 		No image.png 18 August 1991 23 August 1991 Independent
1 Besarion Gugushvili
(1945–) 		No image.png 23 August 1991 6 January 1992[8] Round Table—Free Georgia
2 Tengiz Sigua
(1934–2020) 		6 January 1992 6 August 1993 Independent
— Eduard Shevardnadze
(1928–2014)
(acting) 		Eduard shevardnadze.jpg 6 August 1993 20 August 1993 Independent
3 Otar Patsatsia
(1929–) 		No image.png 20 August 1993 5 October 1995 Independent

Georgia (1995–present)[]

Main article: State Minister (Georgia)
State ministers
No. Name
(Born–Died) 		Picture Took Office Left Office Party
1 Niko Lekishvili
(1947–) 		No image.png 8 December 1995 26 July 1998 Union of Citizens of Georgia
2 Vazha Lortkipanidze
(1949–) 		No image.png 31 July 1998 11 May 2000 Union of Citizens of Georgia
3 Giorgi Arsenishvili
(1942–2010) 		No image.png 11 May 2000 21 December 2001 Union of Citizens of Georgia
4 Avtandil Jorbenadze
(1951–) 		No image.png 21 December 2001 7 November 2003 Union of Citizens of Georgia
5 Zurab Zhvania
(1963–2005) 		Surab Schwania.jpg 7 November 2003 17 February 2004 United National Movement
Prime ministers
No. Name
(Born–Died) 		Picture Took Office Left Office Party
4 Zurab Zhvania
(1963–2005) 		Surab Schwania.jpg 17 February 2004 3 February 2005 United National Movement
— Mikheil Saakashvili
(1967–)
(acting)[9] 		President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili in Tbilisi, March 22, 2008.jpg 3 February 2005 17 February 2005 United National Movement
5 Zurab Noghaideli
(1964–) 		Zurab Nogaideli.jpg 17 February 2005 16 November 2007 United National Movement
— Giorgi Baramidze
(1968–)
(acting)[10] 		Giorgi baramidze.jpg 16 November 2007 22 November 2007 United National Movement
6 Lado Gurgenidze
(1970–) 		Lado Gurgenidze (August 25, 2008).jpg 22 November 2007 1 November 2008 Independent
7 Grigol Mgaloblishvili
(1973–) 		Grigol Mgaloblishvili (November 20, 2008) (A).jpg 1 November 2008 6 February 2009 Independent
8 Nika Gilauri
(1975–) 		Nika Gilauri (Thailand, 21 April 2010).jpg 6 February 2009 4 July 2012 Independent
9 Vano Merabishvili
(1968–) 		Ivane Merabishvili.jpg 4 July 2012 25 October 2012 United National Movement
10 Bidzina Ivanishvili
(1956–) 		Bidzina Ivanishvili 2013-07-19.jpg 25 October 2012 20 November 2013 Georgian Dream
11 Irakli Garibashvili
(1982–) 		Irakli Garibashvili 2013. 2 (cropped).jpg 20 November 2013 30 December 2015 Georgian Dream
12 Giorgi Kvirikashvili
(1967–) 		PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili meeting with Iranian VP Eshaq Jahangiri.jpg 30 December 2015 13 June 2018 Georgian Dream
13 Mamuka Bakhtadze
(1982–) 		Mamuka Bakhtadze MSC 2019.jpg 20 June 2018 2 September 2019 Georgian Dream
14 Giorgi Gakharia
(1975–) 		Gaxaria 1 12 04 18.webp 8 September 2019 18 February 2021 Georgian Dream
15 Irakli Garibashvili
(1982–) 		Irakli Garibashvili 2013. 2 (cropped).jpg 22 February 2021 present Georgian Dream

Living former prime ministers[]

As of 2021, there are 15 living former prime ministers (or equivalent position), along with 3 acting prime ministers, the oldest being Otar Patsatsia (1993-95, born 1929). The most recent Prime Minister to die was Tengiz Sigua (1990-91; 1992-93, born 1934) on 21 January 2020. The most recently-serving Prime Minister to die was Zurab Zhvania (2003-05, born 1963) on 3 February 2005.

Name Length of Term Date of birth
 [ru] 1989–1990 (1935-03-10) 10 March 1935 (age 86)
Besarion Gugushvili 1991–1992 (1945-05-06) 6 May 1945 (age 76)
Otar Patsatsia 1993–1995 (1929-05-15) 15 May 1929 (age 92)
Niko Lekishvili 1995–1998 (1947-04-20) 20 April 1947 (age 74)
Vazha Lortkipanidze 1998–2000 (1949-11-29) 29 November 1949 (age 71)
Avtandil Jorbenadze 2001–2003 (1951-02-23) 23 February 1951 (age 70)
Mikheil Saakashvili 2005 (1967-12-21) 21 December 1967 (age 53)
Zurab Noghaideli 2005–2007 (1964-10-22) 22 October 1964 (age 56)
Giorgi Baramidze 2007 (1968-01-05) 5 January 1968 (age 53)
Lado Gurgenidze 2007–2008 (1970-12-07) 7 December 1970 (age 50)
Grigol Mgaloblishvili 2008–2009 (1973-10-07) 7 October 1973 (age 47)
Nika Gilauri 2009–2012 (1975-02-14) 14 February 1975 (age 46)
Vano Merabishvili 2012 (1968-04-15) 15 April 1968 (age 53)
Bidzina Ivanishvili 2012–2013 (1956-02-18) 18 February 1956 (age 65)
Irakli Garibashvili 2013–2015 (1982-06-28) 28 June 1982 (age 39)
Giorgi Kvirikashvili 2015–2018 (1967-07-20) 20 July 1967 (age 54)
Mamuka Bakhtadze 2018–2019 (1982-06-09) 9 June 1982 (age 39)
Giorgi Gakharia 2019–2021 (1975-03-19) 19 March 1975 (age 46)

References[]

  1. ^ https://www.transparency.ge/sites/default/files/labor-remuneration.pdf
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Article 55, Section 1–5 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
  3. ^ Article 25, Section 2 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
  4. ^ Article 56, Section 1–5 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
  5. ^ Article 53, Section 2 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
  6. ^ Article 72, Section 1 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
  7. ^ Article 73, Section 1 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
  8. ^ Prime Minister of the rebel government at Zugdidi 24 September—6 November 1993
  9. ^ Saakashvili took responsibilities as Prime minister (in Russian)
  10. ^ Acting Prime minister of Georgia criticized peacekeepers, CIS and Russia (in Russian) Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
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