Georgia: President To Merge Ministries, Parliament Says No

A plenary parliament session voted down President Eduard Shevardnadze's blueprints for a government reform to merge the Economy and Construction Ministries and the Ministry for State Property Management into one, and the Finance Ministry with the Ministry of Fiscal Returns, while the Environment Protection Ministry was to incorporate the State Forestry Department. The MPs do not think it worthwhile. Zurab Adeishvili, parliamentary juridical committee leader, proposed to establish an ad hoc state commission which will elaborate reform patterns for the national executive. On Wednesday, parliament will vote ministerial nominations for a new Georgian government.