Giorgi Totladze’s Candidatures Discussed for the Position of Shida Kartli Regional Governor

Lado Bichashvili, Shida Kartli

Giorgi Totladze’s candidature is being discussed for the position of Shida Kartli regional governor. Totladze’s appointment is one of the main topics for the local media discussions. Information Center of Shida Kartli reported about the relatives of the regional governor – he is brother-in-law of Mikheil Kandelaki, head of unit (fight against illicit circulation of narcotics) of the First Main Department of the Criminal Police of the MIA. In the past, Kandelaki occupied different positions at the local agencies of the MIA in Shida Kartli region.

As for the candidate, media has meager information about him. The only thing journalists know he was sportsmen – wrestler. His political activities started in the Kareli office of the Georgian Dream.

Local governmental officials already confirm that he is candidate for the regional governor’s position but refrain from making evaluations. After Giorgi Margvelashvili’s inauguration, Shida Kartli regional governor Zurab Chkheidze resigned; his two deputies Badri Basishvili and Aleksandre Goglidze also resigned. Deputy regional governor Tengis Gogiashvili acts as an interim governor before the new person is appointed.

“In accordance to the provision on the regional governor’s administration, first deputy Tengiz Gogiashvili implements the duties of the regional governor; two more deputies resigned; other employees continue their activities – 47 people work in the regional administration, 22 of them are employees of the rescue service,” head of regional governor’s office Kakha Toliashvili.

According to the provision approved by the government of Georgia, reorganization of the regional governor’s administration is expected. Employees do not exclude possibility of unification of several services that will result into personnel reductions too. According to the same provision, employees of the administration will be selected through competition. Rescue Team, subordinated to the regional governor, will be assigned to the MIA.

Based on the resolution passed on November 29, 2013, which approved the new resolution on the regional governor, legislative regulations amend the appointment rules and if regional governors were appointed by the president in the past, now the appointment document is signed by the Prime-Minister after the government approves him/her on the position. According to the same provision, regional governor is accountable and responsible before the Government of Georgia.