Prime Minister of Georgia
The Prime Minister of Georgia (Georgian: საქართველოს პრემიერ-მინისტრი, translit.: sakartvelos p'remier-minist'ri) is the head of government and chief executive of Georgia. The Prime Minister organizes, directs, and controls the functions of the Government and signs the legal acts of the government. They appoint and dismiss ministers in the government. The Prime Minister represents Georgia in foreign relations and concludes international treaties on behalf of Georgia. They are accountable for the activities of the Government before the Parliament of Georgia.[2]
| Prime Minister of Georgia | |
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| Residence | none |
| Appointer | Parliament of Georgia |
| Term length | none |
| Inaugural holder | Noe Ramishvili (Georgian Democratic Republic) Bessarion Gugushvili (independence) |
| Formation | 23 August 1991 |
| Salary | 13,000 lari per month[1] |
| Website | http://gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG |
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| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Georgia |
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Executive |
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Legislature
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Judiciary |
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Administrative divisions
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The Prime Minister is nominated by a political party that has secured the best results in the parliamentary election. The nominee must win the confidence vote of the Parliament and then be appointed by the President of Georgia.[3]
Giorgi Gakharia is the incumbent prime minister. He succeeded Mamuka Bakhtadze on 8 September 2019.
History
The office of Prime Minister under the name of the Chairman of Government was introduced in Georgia upon its declaration of independence in May 1918. It was abolished with the Soviet takeover of the country in February 1921. The newly independent Georgia established the position of Prime Minister in August 1991, only to be abolished de facto in the aftermath of the January 1992 military coup and legally in the 1995 Constitution. The office was reintroduced in the February 2004 constitutional amendment and further modified as a result of series of amendments passed between 2011 and 2018.
Qualifications
The office of Prime Minister may not be held by a citizen of Georgia who is simultaneously the citizen of a foreign country.[4]
Appointment
The Prime Minister is nominated by a political party that has secured the best results in the parliamentary election. The nominee for premiership and ministerial candidates selected by them must win the confidence vote of the Parliament and then, within 2 days of a vote of confidence, be appointed by the President of Georgia. If the President does not appoint the Prime Minister within the established time frame, the Prime Minister is considered appointed. If the parliamentary vote of confidence is not passed within the established time frame, the President dissolves the Parliament no earlier than two weeks and no later than three weeks after the respective time frame has expired, and calls extraordinary parliamentary election.[3]
Functions
The Prime Minister of Georgia is the head of the Government, responsible for government activities and appointment and dismissal of ministers. They are accountable before the parliament. Prime Minister signs the legal acts of the government[2] and countersigns some of the acts issued by the President of Georgia.[5]
The Prime Minister also has the right to make decision on the use of the Defense Forces during martial law without the Parliament's approval.[6] During the martial law, the Prime Minister becomes a member of the National Defense Council, a consultative body chaired by the President of Georgia.[7]
List of Heads of Government of Georgia (1918–present)
Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–1921)
- Prime Ministers
| No. | Picture | Name (Birth–Death) |
Began office | Left office | Party | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Noe Ramishvili (1881–1930) |
26 May 1918 | 24 June 1918 | Social Democratic Party of Georgia | Chairman of Government |
| 2 |  |
Noe Zhordania (1868–1953) |
24 June 1918 | 18 March 1921 | Social Democratic Party of Georgia | Chairman of Government |
Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (1921–1991)
| No. | Picture | Name (Birth–Death) |
Began office | Left office | Party | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Polikarp Mdivani (1887–1937) |
7 March 1922 | April 1922 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars |
| 2 | Sergey Kavtaradze (1885–1971) |
April 1922 | January 1923 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars | |
| 3 |  |
Shalva Eliava (1883–1937) |
January 1923 | June 1927 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars |
| 4 |  |
Lavrenty Kartvelishvili (1890–1938) |
June 1927 | June 1929 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars |
| 5 |  |
Filipp Makharadze (1886–1941) |
June 1929 | January 1931 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars |
| 6 |  |
Levan Sukhishvili | January 1931 | 22 September 1931 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars |
| 7 |  |
German Mgaloblishvili (?–1937) |
22 September 1931 | 9 July 1937 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars |
| 8 | |
Valerian Bakradze (1901–1971) |
9 July 1937 | 15 April 1946 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars |
| 15 April 1946 | December 1946 | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers | ||||
| 9 | |
Zakhary Chkhubianishvili (1903–?) |
December 1946 | 6 April 1952 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers |
| 10 | |
Zakhary Ketskhoveli (1902–1970) |
6 April 1952 | 16 April 1953 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers |
| 11 | |
Valerian Bakradze (1901–1971) |
16 April 1953 | 20 September 1953 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers |
| 12 | |
Givi Javakhishvili (1912–1985) |
21 September 1953 | 17 December 1975 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers |
| 13 | |
Zurab Pataridze (1928–1982) |
17 December 1975 | 5 June 1982 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers |
| 14 | |
Dmitry Kartvelishvili (1927–2009) |
2 July 1982 | 12 April 1986 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers |
| 15 | |
Otar Cherkezia (1933–2004) |
12 April 1986 | 29 March 1989 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers |
| 16 | |
Zurab Chkheidze (1930–2007) |
29 March 1989 | 14 April 1989 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers |
| 17 | |
Nodari Chitanava (1935–) |
14 April 1989 | 15 November 1990 | Communist Party of Georgia | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers |
| 18 | Tengiz Sigua (1934–2020) |
15 November 1990 | 18 August 1991 | Independent | Chairmen of the Council of Ministers |
Republic of Georgia (1991–1995)
- Prime Ministers
| No. | Name (Born–Died) |
Picture | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Murman Omanidze (1938–) (acting) |
|
18 August 1991 | 23 August 1991 | Independent |
| 1 | Besarion Gugushvili (1945–) |
|
23 August 1991 | 6 January 1992[8] | Round Table—Free Georgia |
| 2 | Tengiz Sigua (1934–2020) |
6 January 1992 | 6 August 1993 | Independent | |
| — | Eduard Shevardnadze (1928–2014) (acting) |
 |
6 August 1993 | 20 August 1993 | Independent |
| 3 | Otar Patsatsia (1929–) |
|
20 August 1993 | 5 October 1995 | Independent |
Georgia (1995–present)
- State Ministers
| No. | Name (Born–Died) |
Picture | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niko Lekishvili (1947–) |
|
8 December 1995 | 26 July 1998 | Union of Citizens of Georgia |
| 2 | Vazha Lortkipanidze (1949–) |
|
31 July 1998 | 11 May 2000 | Union of Citizens of Georgia |
| 3 | Giorgi Arsenishvili (1942–2010) |
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11 May 2000 | 21 December 2001 | Union of Citizens of Georgia |
| 4 | Avtandil Jorbenadze (1951–) |
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21 December 2001 | 27 November 2003 | Union of Citizens of Georgia |
| 5 | Zurab Zhvania (1963–2005) |
 |
27 November 2003 | 17 February 2004 | United National Movement |
- Prime Ministers
| No. | Name (Born–Died) |
Picture | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Zurab Zhvania (1963–2005) |
|
17 February 2004 | 3 February 2005 | United National Movement |
| — | Mikheil Saakashvili (1967–) (acting)[9] |
 |
3 February 2005 | 17 February 2005 | United National Movement |
| 5 | Zurab Noghaideli (1964–) |
 |
17 February 2005 | 16 November 2007 | United National Movement |
| — | Giorgi Baramidze (1968–) (acting)[10] |
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16 November 2007 | 22 November 2007 | United National Movement |
| 6 | Lado Gurgenidze (1970–) |
.jpg) |
22 November 2007 | 1 November 2008 | Independent |
| 7 | Grigol Mgaloblishvili (1973–) |
_(A).jpg) |
1 November 2008 | 6 February 2009 | Independent |
| 8 | Nika Gilauri (1975–) |
.jpg) |
6 February 2009 | 4 July 2012 | Independent |
| 9 | Vano Merabishvili (1968–) |
 |
4 July 2012 | 25 October 2012 | United National Movement |
| 10 | Bidzina Ivanishvili (1956–) |
 |
25 October 2012 | 20 November 2013 | Georgian Dream |
| 11 | Irakli Garibashvili (1982–) |
.jpg) |
20 November 2013 | 30 December 2015 | Georgian Dream |
| 12 | Giorgi Kvirikashvili (1967–) |
 |
30 December 2015 | 13 June 2018 | Georgian Dream |
| 13 | Mamuka Bakhtadze (1982–) |
 |
20 June 2018 | 2 September 2019 | Georgian Dream |
| 14 | Giorgi Gakharia (1975–) |
 |
8 September 2019 | Incumbent | Georgian Dream |
Living former Prime Ministers
As of 22 January 2020, there are 15 living former Prime Ministers (or equivalent position), along with 3 acting Prime Ministers, the oldest being Otar Patsatsia (1993-95, born 1929). The most recent Prime Minister to die was Tengiz Sigua (1990-91; 1992-93, born 1934) on 21 January 2020. The most recently-serving Prime Minister to die was Zurab Zhvania (2003-05, born 1963) on 3 February 2005.
| Name | Length of Term | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| Nodari Chitanava | 1989–1990 | 10 March 1935 |
| Murman Omanidze | 1991 | 5 November 1938 |
| Besarion Gugushvili | 1991–1992 | 6 May 1945 |
| Otar Patsatsia | 1993–1995 | 15 May 1929 |
| Niko Lekishvili | 1995–1998 | 20 April 1947 |
| Vazha Lortkipanidze | 1998–2000 | 29 November 1949 |
| Avtandil Jorbenadze | 2001–2003 | 23 February 1951 |
| Mikheil Saakashvili | 2005 | 21 December 1967 |
| Zurab Noghaideli | 2005–2007 | 22 October 1964 |
| Giorgi Baramidze | 2007 | 5 January 1968 |
| Lado Gurgenidze | 2007–2008 | 7 December 1970 |
| Grigol Mgaloblishvili | 2008–2009 | 7 October 1973 |
| Nika Gilauri | 2009–2012 | 14 February 1975 |
| Vano Merabishvili | 2012 | 15 April 1968 |
| Bidzina Ivanishvili | 2012–2013 | 18 February 1956 |
| Irakli Garibashvili | 2013–2015 | 28 June 1982 |
| Giorgi Kvirikashvili | 2015–2018 | 20 July 1967 |
| Mamuka Bakhtadze | 2018–2019 | 9 June 1982 |
References
- https://www.transparency.ge/sites/default/files/labor-remuneration.pdf
- Article 55, Section 1–5 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
- Article 56, Section 1–5 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
- Article 25, Section 2 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
- Article 53, Section 2 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
- Article 72, Section 1 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
- Article 73, Section 1 of the Constitution of Georgia (country) (2018)
- Prime Minister of the rebel government at Zugdidi 24 September—6 November 1993
- Saakashvili took responsibilities as Prime minister (in Russian)
- Acting Prime minister of Georgia criticized peacekeepers, CIS and Russia (in Russian) Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
