Georgia’s Acting Finance Minister and PM candidate Mamuka Bakhtadze says he intends to reduce the number of 14 ministries to 11.

Bakhtadze made the comment at a press-conference on Monday afternoon, adding that the reform, which is the part of the governmental program, requires legislative amendments.

The designate PM has yet to name the future ministers and called on everybody to wait for further information. 

As for merging the ministries, Bakhtadze said that the changes will be implemented in six ministries with the aim of reducing expenditures.

“This year, our expenditures will be 4.2% to 4.3% of gross domestic product. The concept of a small government implies a reduction in the size of the government towards the economy so that it does not exceed 3.9%. This means that in the future we will have a significant amount of money - 100-120 million GEL to spend on other important social programs,” he stated.

Bakhtadze noted that for now, as there is no time set to reduce the number of ministries, and he will present the same number of cabinet members to Parliament for the approval and only afterwards the reshuffle will be launched and a new cabinet composition will be again submitted to Parliament for approval.

“After 2-3 weeks, when the staff changes are completed, this procedure will be considered in Parliament - discussions will be held in committees, factions, during the sessions, and we will go through the renewed cabinet,” he added.

Mamuka Bakhtadze was selected as the PM candidate by the GD party last Thursday evening, a day after the former PM, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, resigned. He will be the fourth PM since GD came into power in 2012.

By Thea Morrison

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