Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said the government will no longer create the planned post of State Minister for Regional Policy following Mamuka Mdinaradze’s decision to quit politics, with discussions underway on re-merging the Ministry of Regional Development with the Ministry of Infrastructure.
The government announced in July that Mdinaradze, then State Minister for Coordination of Law Enforcement Bodies, a position created specifically for him, would assume a yet-to-be-created post of State Minister for Regional Policy. The planned changes would also abolish both his current State Minister position and the Ministry of Regional Development. Pending the disputed parliament’s approval in the fall, Mdinaradze was temporarily appointed Regional Development Minister.
On August 27, however, Mdinaradze, a prominent Georgian Dream figure who had also served as a State Security Service Chief from September 2025 to April, announced his resignation from the Regional Development Minister’s post and his departure from politics.
“The position of State Minister [for Regional Policy] will no longer be created,” Papuashvili said during an August 31 press briefing. “The creation of this position was conceived precisely because of Mamuka Mdinaradze’s political experience, political weight and knowledge. Since he made the decision to leave politics, this decision has changed,” Papuashvili said.
He confirmed that the post of State Minister for Coordination of Law Enforcement Bodies would still be abolished as planned, while discussions were ongoing about reuniting the Ministry of Regional Development with the Ministry of Infrastructure, which had been split in the April 2025 government restructuring.
Asked about who would lead the ministry following the anticipated merger, Papuashvili pointed to current Infrastructure Minister Revaz [Rezi] Sokhadze, saying that “Rezi Sokhadze is doing a good job” in his current role.
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