TBILISI, November 26. /TASS/. The Parliament of the South Caucasus republic of Georgia will approve a new government headed by acting Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze at a plenary session on November 28, Speaker of the legislature Shalva Papuashvili announced at a meeting of the parliament's office.
"A meeting of the ruling Georgian Dream party is scheduled for Thursday, November 28. At 11:00 a.m. [10:00 Moscow time], the participants will consider the composition of the new government, and at 12:00 p.m. [11:00 Moscow time], officials from the newly formed and approved government will attend the plenary session," Papuashvili explained.
Hearings of the candidates for ministerial positions will be held at joint sessions of the parliamentary committees until November 28. In addition, the candidates will appear at separate sittings that will start on November 26, Papuashvili added.
Late on November 25, Kobakhidze presented three new candidates for ministerial positions. Maka Botchorishvili will succeed Ilya Darchiashvili and become the new foreign minister. Henri Ohanashvili and David Songulashvili will become heads of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.
Georgia held parliamentary elections on October 26, marking the country's first elections using electronic ballot boxes. The Central Electoral Commission later reported that the ruling Georgian Dream party received 53.93% of the vote, securing 89 mandates out of 150. Four opposition parties cleared the five-percent threshold, with the Coalition for Change garnering 11.03% and 19 mandates, the United National Movement 10.17% and 16 mandates, the Strong Georgia coalition 8.81% and 14 mandates, and the Gakharia For Georgia party 7.78% and 12 mandates. All the opposition parties have refused to acknowledge the election results and are now planning to relinquish their parliamentary seats.
The newly formed Parliament began its work on November 25. Shalva Papuashvili was re-elected as the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament.