According to the decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili, the Minister of Defense Irakli Alasania has been dismissed, reports GHN based on press service of the Prime Minister.
The statement was done by the leader of the Coalition Georgian Dream, after meeting with the Parliamentary Majority.
As the Prime Minister declared, the procurements of the Ministry of Defense had repeatedly been the subject of discussion for the government and the relevant reproves had been given to Irakli Alasania.
"Nevertheless, number of disorders has been identified by the investigating authorities, followed by appropriate legislative response, criminal case has been filed and investigation is underway.
In recent days, apparent conflict of the Minister of Defense has been observed with the investigative authorities and there is an attempt to politicize the issue. Instead of contribution to the investigation process, in order to detect the truth, activities of the Minister of Defense are leading to the politicizing the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces, which has a negative impact on the security of the country, as well as on the effective operation of the government", - the Prime Minister said.
As Irakli Garibashvili said, the fight against corruption was one of the major priorities of the government and it would have uncompromising position in the case of revealing them, no matter which agency will be revealed in relation to it.
"Concerning all above mentioned, in order to avoid politicizing the Armed Forces and provide the relevant conditions for independent investigation, I made a decision to dismiss the Minister of Defense", - the head of the government noted.
Irakli Garibashvili considers Irakli Alasania's statement, regarding the fact that ongoing investigation of the Defense was an attack on Georgia's Euro-Atlantic choice, as irresponsible.
As the Prime Minister noted, Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration was not a choice of the government, but Georgian people and this irreversible process would never be depended on any minister's opinion.
"Euro-Atlantic integration of our country does not mean that the Ministry of Defense was expected to embezzle approximately 4 million GELs. This amount is cut down directly from our solders. The minister, who cannot solve the solders' feeding issue, cannot be considered to be an effective minister and only this can be the reason of his dismissal from his position. Also, the minister, who supposedly makes his own friend to win the procurements and tenders, of course cannot remain on this very responsible position," - the Prime Minister noted.
Irakli Garibashvili spoke about the meeting with the Faction Free Democrats and noted that he could not hear the reasoned answers on the current questions from Irakli Alasania.
The head of the government expressed his readiness to hold the enlarged session of Georgian Dream political council, which would be attended by Irakli Alasania and Faction Free Democrats as coalition members.
According to the decision of the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the State Security and Crisis Management Council Mindia Janelidze will be appointed as the Minister of Defense.