REORGANIZATION IN THE GOVERNMENT: TWO MINISTRIES TO BE ABOLISHED?
By M. Alkhazashvili

The Messenger, Georgia
June 13 2006

Big changes are planned in the government. State Minister of Reforms
Coordination, Kakha Bendukidze, states that by the end of 2006 the
Energy Ministry and the Ministry of Economic Development should be
closed. Bendukidze argues that the technical rehabilitation of the
energy sphere-the responsibility of the energy minister-has already
been accomplished; and that as soon as the privatization process is
complete the Ministry of Economic Development will be obsolete as
well. The newspaper Rezonansi quotes Bendukidze as saying flatly that
“Possibly by 2007 the Ministry of Economic Development will no longer
be necessary in Georgia.”

This statement led to something of a media hullabaloo, with journalists
rushing to the respective ministries to get the reactions of the soon
to be ex-ministers. However, neither Nika Gilauri (Minister of Energy)
nor Irakli Chogovadze (Minister of Economic Development) objected to
ttheir possible redundancy “I will welcome any rational solution,”
said Chogovadze.

Not everybody approves Bendukidze’s statements. Economist Soso
Tsiskarishvili says that the closure of these ministries will have
dire results for the country. Analysts point out that if the closures
do go ahead, a reshuffle of the cabinet will be necessary, and that
this is likely to lead to other staff changes as well.

According to the local press-pack the Minister of Agriculture and
Food, Mikho Svimonishvili, may also have to look for a new job. The
president is said to be discontented with his style of working,
he recently inquired why Georgian production techniques were more
expensive than Armenian, and a short while ago made him taste some
of the now infamous “Svanchkara” falsified wine-it that there may be
some things on the horizon that are even more difficult for Mr.
Svimonishvili to swallow.