bidzina_ivanishvili_-_post-election_press_conference

Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has again postponed the naming of his successor, saying it needs to be discussed in the Georgian Dream political council first.

Ivanishvili said Monday at a press conference that he hopes the candidate for new prime minister will be named by Saturday.

A few days before the election, he said that he would name his favorite on Tuesday or Wednesday.

He now says the Georgian Dream political council will discuss his favorite on Friday. On Saturday they will meet with the coalition’s members of parliament and then present the candidate to the public.

He said he was mistaken when he said that he would name the new PM on Tuesday.

“Parliament has moved to Kutaisi, and without agreeing with them it would be awkward,” he said, adding that he doesn’t exclude that the council might not like his candidate, but he still thinks that possibility is very small.

The meeting with the MPs will be held on 14:00 or 15:00 on Saturday and then they will name the new PM.

At the press conference, Ivanishvili said that before leaving politics he will also introduce his favorite for Tbilisi Mayor, but only when people have a new prime minister.

He added that November 24, a congress is planned and he will resign.

“I will leave the party, I will leave politics. But until then, I will remain in politics, and I plan to agree my desired mayor candidate, but not after I leave. I can express my political opinion while I am in politics.”

Ivanishvili continued saying that if necessary, he won’t stop serving the country.

“In my opinion, it won’t be necessary, but if it is, why not,” he said, adding that he thinks the country will avoid the difficulties there were at the time when he went into politics.

“I went into politics in the most difficult time. Georgia won’t have more a difficult time than that,” he said. “The government won’t allow a repetition of that. The people won’t allow it .”