Tbilisi, DFWatch -President Saakashvili on Monday presented parliament with a list of five new ambassadors.

The candidates are Khatuna Salukvadze for Lithuania, Zurab Pataradze for Kazakhstan, Irakli Koplatadze for Turkey, Teimuraz Sharashenidze for Azerbaijan and Konstantine Korkelia to be representative to the Council of Europe.

Appointing and replacing ambassadors to represent Georgia abroad has been one of the most disputed issues between the former and current government. After the parliamentary election, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked the president to replace ambassadors who in its opinion are not carrying out their duties, but serving the interests of Saakashvili’s party.

A list of 19 new candidates for Georgia’s diplomatic corps was sent to the president. Some served out their term, some resigned and some were recommended for being replaced. But the president in February presented a list of only nine ambassadors to parliament, and dragged the process of signing the list of candidates confirmed by parliament for a month, but finally signed it.

Now the next five candidates for the diplomatic corps are to be confirmed, which will leave five places still vacant.