(RTTNews) – Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili announced Monday that Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze has resigned from his post following the decline in the country”s economic growth after its war with Russia.”Gurgenidze and I have decided that he would step down to lead a new anti-crisis commission on the economy,” Saakashvili told the country”s lawmakers on Monday.”When I appointed Lado Gurgenidze as prime minister we agreed that he would work for one year and he has done excellent work during this year, he faced extraordinary challenges during his time in office,” he added. President Saakashvili said that he has recommended Grigol Mgaloblishvili, Georgia current ambassador to Turkey, as the replacement for Gurgenidze. But Mgaloblishvili”s appointment will have to be approved by the parliament before he can take up the post. “I have nominated Grigol Mgaloblishvili as the new prime minister of Georgia and we together will soon present a new cabinet,” Saakashvili said.The latest re-shuffle in Georgia”s government comes after the country”s economic growth declined to the lowest levels since 2003 after the war with Russia in August this year. Moreover, President Saakashvili”s government is under fire for its handling of Georgia”s five day war against Russia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia.The two countries were locked in a five-day war in August after Russia responded to the Georgian move to annex South Ossetia by moving large numbers of troops and tanks into the disputed region. The Russian offensive drove away the Georgian troops from the area and Moscow took control over South Ossetia and another Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia, and formally recognized the independence of the two breakaway regions.
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