Georgian President backs influential billionaire for Prime Minister

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili backed an influential billionaire on Thursday to become Prime Minister, a day after the abrupt resignation of the previous premier.

“This masquerade for the selection of prime minister must be completed. I call upon the ruling party to nominate Bidzina Ivanishvili,’’ the president said.

Ivanishvili founded the governing Georgian Dream party, which includes the president and Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who stepped down as premier on Wednesday.

As the leader of the ruling party, Ivanishvili should become prime minister, the president said, according to the transcript of a speech posted on his official website.

Ivanishvili has prior experience as prime minister, briefly serving in the post in 2012 to 2013 during a political transition.

Kvirikashvili, who resigned amid a long-running dispute with senior officials, is seen as a close ally of the billionaire.

Local media reported that Ivanishvili had grown unsatisfied with Kvirikashvili’s governance and joined a chorus of politicians who demanded his resignation.

The announcement came less than two months after the resignation of neighbouring Armenia’s prime minister amid a mass protest movement against his rule.