TBILISI, DFWatch–The Ivanishvili government plans to do away with the governors in Georgia after the local election in 2014 and replace them with elected councils, Davit Narmania, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development says.

A governor is a trustee and representative of the state in a region, and is appointed and dismissed by the president. In Georgia, governors are mostly thought to be Mikheil Saakashvili’s personal representatives, there to control the region on his behalf, even though the governor might not have a wide range of authority by law.

Narmania says the law will define formation of regional territorial – administrative units and determine the main elements of local government, which includes setting up a representative body. This body will be formed by persons elected in local elections.

The minister says that each region will have an executive government chaired by the head of administration. The regional council will present three candidates for this post and present them to the government, which will confirm one of them on the post of administration chairman.

“As soon as local government election is conducted and appropriate law comes into force, the institute of governor will be abolished and a way more democratic institute will be established,” Narmania explained.