Georgia's Gakharia: ‘I’m staying in politics’

Former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said he has no plans to leave the country or politics.

He told journalists earlier today that he will announce his intentions in the coming days.. Agenda.ge reported.

Gakharia resigned on February 18, 2021, saying that the step was connected with the upcoming arrest of the opposition MP and the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia. 

Gakharia said that Melia, who refused to post bail, should be arrested according to the law. However, he stated that amid the political tension the arrest would spark further complications. 

Melia was arrested on February 23, shortly after the parliament approved Irakli Garibashvili as the country’s new PM. 

Gakharia was appointed PM in September 2019 and was reapproved to the post by the parliament in December 2020, after the elections. In previous years he was the country’s interior minister and business ombudsman.