Republican party chair Samnidze: new FM expected to be “more obedient” to PM

The chairperson of the Republican Party, Khatuna Samnidze, has told Front News that a new Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili, who previously served as the head of the Administration of the Government of Georgia, is expected to act “as he will be instructed by PM Irakli Garibashvili.”

 

Samnidze says that Darchiashvili’s appointment is unlikely to empower Georgia on the international arena as “he (the new FM) will make the statements which would be agreed upon with the PM.”

 

She stated that Darchiashvili has been selected as the replacement of David Zalkaliani “through his devotion to Garibashvili,” and he is not an experienced diplomat.

 

Samnidze says that Zalkaliani was not also strong in his statements, but he somehow managed to make Georgia’s position stronger on the international field.

 

“Darchiashvili is expected to be fully manageable (by Garibashvili),” Samnidze says.

 

Darchiashvili, who has an economic background, previously served in the Municipal Development Fund and the Ministry of Infrastructure.

 

He was Georgia’s ambassador to Poland between 2012 and 2014.