Georgia’s parliament has approved billionaire politician Bidzina Ivanishvili as the country’s new prime minister. Mr. Ivanishvili’s Georgia Dream movement won the October 1 parliamentary election, ending the nine-year rule of President Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement party. With a vote of 88 to 54 Thursday, lawmakers approved Mr. Ivanishvili and his new Cabinet. In remarks […]
Georgia’s Next PM Says Will Quit in 18 Months
Posted October 24th, 2012 at 12:00 pm (UTC-5)
Georgia’s future prime minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili, says he plans to quit politics in 18 months. The billionaire politician made the announcement to opposition lawmakers in parliament on Wednesday. Mr. Ivanishvili, who has previously said he has no long-term political aspirations, says he will stick to his election promises but leave politics after a year-and-a-half. He […]
Georgia’s Saakashvili Nominates Rival Ivanishvili as PM
Posted October 17th, 2012 at 1:15 pm (UTC-5)
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has nominated his rival, Bidzina Ivanishvili, as prime minister, a post the billionaire businessman was expected to fill after his coalition won a parliamentary election earlier this month. A Georgian presidential spokesman announced Mr. Ivanishvili’s nomination on Wednesday, saying he has 10 days to present his proposed Cabinet to the newly […]
Ivanishvili, Georgian Dream Promise to Look West
Posted October 9th, 2012 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
Georgian officials preparing for the nation’s first peaceful transition of power since breaking away from the former Soviet Union are promising the change will not impact the country’s desire to move even closer to the West. Georgian Dream coalition leader, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose party won last week’s parliamentary elections, met in Tbilisi Tuesday with […]
Georgian Billionaire Unveils Cabinet
Posted October 8th, 2012 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
The Georgian billionaire who defeated President Mikheil Saakashvili’s party in last week’s parliamentary elections is giving Georgians — and the rest of the world — a better idea of where he plans to take the country. Georgian Dream coalition leader Bidzina Ivanishvili, who says he expects to be the country’s next prime minister, unveiled most […]
Georgia’s Ivanishvili Urges Supporters to Stop Protests
Posted October 4th, 2012 at 10:50 am (UTC-5)
Georgia’s Bidzina Ivanishvili is urging supporters of his coalition to stop street protests against the country’s outgoing government. Ivanishvili told reporters Thursday all election-related disputes should be resolved in courts. He said his Georgian Dream coalition is now in power and will soon take control of parliament. Ivanishvili’s coalition defeated the United National Movement of […]
Georgia’s Ivanishvili Backtracks on Call for President to Resign
Posted October 3rd, 2012 at 2:40 pm (UTC-5)
The head of Georgia’s opposition coalition, Bidzina Ivanishvili, is backtracking on his call for President Mikheil Saakashvili to resign. Ivanishvili, whose coalition won Georgia’s parliamentary elections, said Wednesday he was not issuing an ultimatum in asking Mr. Saakashvili to step down. Ivanishvili also offered to cooperate with the incumbent president on the formation of a […]
Georgia’s Ivanishvili Backtracks on Call for President to Resign
Posted October 3rd, 2012 at 11:00 am (UTC-5)
The winner of Georgia’s parliamentary elections, Bidzina Ivanishvili, is backtracking on his call for President Mikheil Saakashvili to resign. Ivanishvili said Wednesday he was not issuing an ultimatum in asking Mr. Saakashvili to step down. Ivanishvili also offered to cooperate with the incumbent president on the formation of a new government. Earlier, Georgia parliament speaker […]
Russia Hopes Georgia Election Leads to Normalized Ties
Posted October 3rd, 2012 at 6:05 am (UTC-5)
Russia’s Foreign Ministry says it hopes that Monday’s parliamentary election in Georgia will help normalize relations between the two countries. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement Wednesday that “Georgian society has voted for changes”. He expressed hope that Georgia will move towards a “normalization” and “establishment of constructive and respectful relations” with […]
Saakashvili’s Party Concedes Defeat, Georgia Set for Transition
Posted October 2nd, 2012 at 4:20 pm (UTC-5)
Georgia is heading into a political transition after the opposition defeated the ruling party of President Mikheil Saakashvili in Monday’s parliamentary election. President Saakashvili conceded defeat Tuesday to the Georgian Dream coalition led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. Mr. Saakashvili pledged in a televised statement to help the opposition form a new government. He will remain […]
