The Georgian parliament on Sunday approved a new government led by Russian-educated former interior minister Giorgi Gakharia in a move slammed by the opposition which has called for him to resign over a crackdown on anti-Russian protesters, Trend reports citing Reuters.
Gakharia succeeds Mamuka Bakhtadze who stepped down as prime minister earlier this month after little more than a year, saying he had accomplished what he set out to do.
Gakharia and his cabinet were approved unanimously as opposition factions boycotted the vote at the parliament dominated by the ruling party lawmakers.
There were two other changes in a new cabinet - former prime minister Irakli Garibashvili became the defence minister, while Vakhtang Gomelauri, former head of the State Security Service and Ivanishvili’s ex-bodyguard, became interior minister.