Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili dismissed the government of Vano Merabishvili early on Thursday. The prime ministers and the Cabinet were ordered to continue work until formation of a new government.
The order was not a surprise: according to the constitution, after parliamentary elections the Cabinet should be dismissed. The only surprise is the “night mystery” over the presidential order, as if it couldn’t be signed in the morning or during the day. It might be explained by the general style of Saakashvili who try to demonstrate the exclusiveness of his functions. However, he is a very difficult situation, as his rival is mocking him. Recently Bidzina Ivanishvili has met Saakashvili with future Minister for Corrections and Legal Assistance Sozar Subari, hinting a threat to the president. People call this position “Minister of Prisons” and Ivanishvili’s team believes he may initiate an impeachment. After the end of the meeting the primer-to-be (he hadn’t been appointed yet) disparagingly addressed to the president and called him by his surname: “I appreciated Saakashvili’s statement on his readiness to contribution to transfer the power.”
Saakashvili will remain at power until October 2013. According to the constitution, he may present any candidate for prime minister. If the parliament declines the candidate three times, the president may dissolve it and set new parliamentary polls simultaneously with the presidential ones. Saakashvili is unlikely to plan such serious confrontation.
At the same meeting Saakashvili clearly said that he was not planning resignation: “Our country has splendid future and I together with my team intend to be a part of the future not only as a citizen, but also as a politician.” He will mark his 46th birthday on December 21, 2013, coinciding with the birthday of Joseph Stalin.
