Georgia's prime minister resigns from office

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) — Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday announced that he would be resigning from his post.

"I would like to inform the community about the decision that we discussed with the team. Today, I am leaving the post of prime minister," Garibashvili said in a briefing in the capital Tbilisi.

Garibashvili, who had been in office for five years in two separate terms, said he was offered the role of chairman on the ruling Georgian Dream party's political council.

He noted that a party congress will be held on Feb. 1.

"I won't hide it from you, on the political council I discussed the possibility of staying in the position in the summer, before the start of the election campaign, but I chose to make this decision now," Garibashvili added.

He said it was important that the next prime minister "presents his team and forms a new government on time."

Earlier, Georgian media reported that Irakli Kobakhidze, the current chairman of Georgian Dream, would be replacing Garibashvili after a decision by the party's political council on Jan. 24.