A Woman To Chair The Georgian Parliament For The First Time In Country's History

For the first time in the country's history, a woman will chair the Georgian parliament. Nino Burdzhanadze, 37 years old, was elected speaker of the Georgian parliament by the results of the secret ballot which was completed in the early hours of November 10. Nino Burdzhanadze's nomination as candidate was supported by deputies who sided with the former chairman of the Georgian parliament Zurab Zhvania. Nino Burdzhanadze managed to win the election against Vazha Lordkipanidze, former state minister and Georgia's ambassador to Russia, and Dzhemal Gogitidze, chairman of the most numerous parliamentary faction Revival. Nino Burdzhanadze was born on July 16, 1964, in Tbilisi. Graduate of the law department of Tbilisi University, Cand. Sc. (Law). Fluent in Russian and English. Since 1995, Nino Burdzhanadze has been deputy of the Georgian parliament. Prior to her election as speaker she headed the parliamentary commission for external relations. Nino Burdzhanadze is vice-president of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Parliamentary Assembly. Nino Burdzhanadze's husband is Georgia's military prosecutor. They have two sons, 16 and 8 years old.