Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has appointed ruling party MP and former Tbilisi Deputy Mayor Maia Bitadze as Minister of Culture, replacing Tinatin Rukhadze, who resigned in July.
Bitadze, who has served as a member of Parliament since 2020 and chaired the parliamentary committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, will replace Rukhadze, who stepped down in July after less than two years in office, citing her health condition and the need for an “urgent course of treatment.”
Announcing the appointment, Kobakhidze highlighted Bitadze’s “exceptional, many years of management experience,” noting that she had previously served as Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Deputy Mayor of Tbilisi (2017-2020), including a period when she oversaw the culture sector. He also pointed to her academic background, noting that she holds a PhD in Law and is an Associate Professor at Tbilisi State University.
Kobakhidze said Bitadze was “distinguished by her conscientiousness,” describing it as the main “criterion” behind his decision to appoint her as a minister.
Bitadze described the appointment as “a great responsibility” and “an expression of trust” before the government team and those working in the cultural sector. “Culture is not only art and cultural heritage, but also part of our nation’s identity, our distinctiveness, and the language in which we must speak to the whole world,” she said, thanking her political team.
“I am coming into this field with many years of experience in public service, and also with a great desire to listen to every person who creates Georgian culture, who is a professional in the field, who cares deeply about it, and who loves this sphere,” Bitadze added.
First Deputy Culture Minister Mikheil Kiknadze had served as acting minister since Rukhadze’s departure.
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