Irakli Garibashvili facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Irakli Garibashvili
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ირაკლი ღარიბაშვილი
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Garibashvili in 2023
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| Chairman of Georgian Dream | |
| Assumed office 1 February 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Irakli Kobakhidze |
| In office 15 November 2013 – 30 December 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Bidzina Ivanishvili |
| Succeeded by | Giorgi Kvirikashvili |
| 11th and 15th Prime Minister of Georgia | |
| In office 22 February 2021 – 29 January 2024 |
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| President | Salome Zourabichvili |
| Deputy | Thea Tsulukiani Levan Davitashvili |
| Preceded by | Giorgi Gakharia |
| Succeeded by | Irakli Kobakhidze |
| In office 20 November 2013 – 30 December 2015 |
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| President | Giorgi Margvelashvili |
| Deputy | Giorgi Kvirikashvili Kakha Kaladze |
| Preceded by | Bidzina Ivanishvili |
| Succeeded by | Giorgi Kvirikashvili |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 8 September 2019 – 22 February 2021 |
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| Prime Minister | Giorgi Gakharia |
| Preceded by | Levan Izoria |
| Succeeded by | Juansher Burchuladze |
| Minister of Internal Affairs | |
| In office 25 October 2012 – 17 November 2013 |
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| Prime Minister | Bidzina Ivanishvili |
| Preceded by | Ekaterine Zguladze (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Aleksandre Chikaidze |
| Political Secretary of Georgian Dream | |
| In office 5 March 2019 – 1 February 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Gia Volski |
| Succeeded by | Irakli Kobakhidze |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 June 1982 Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union (now Georgia) |
| Political party | Georgian Dream (2012–2015, 2019–present) |
| Spouse | Nunuka Tamazashvili |
| Children | Nikoloz Andria Gabriel Nino |
| Alma mater | Tbilisi State University Pantheon-Sorbonne University |
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Irakli Garibashvili (Georgian: ირაკლი ღარიბაშვილი, also transliterated as Gharibashvili; born 28 June 1982) is a Georgian politician and a former business executive who served as the prime minister of Georgia between 22 February 2021 and 29 January 2024. He had previously served as prime minister from 20 November 2013 until his resignation on 30 December 2015. Garibashvili is a member of the Georgian Dream party and has served as the party’s chairman since 1 February 2024. He entered politics with his long-time associate Bidzina Ivanishvili, in October 2012.
He served as Defence Minister of Georgia in the cabinet of prime minister Giorgi Gakharia from 2019 to 2021 and, prior to that, as Minister of Internal Affairs in the cabinet of Bidzina Ivanishvili from 2012 to 2013. Ivanishvili named Garibashvili as his successor as prime minister when he voluntarily stepped down in November 2013. Aged 31 at his ascension, he was the youngest person to assume the Prime Ministerial office. During his first term, he was the second youngest state leader in the world, after Kim Jong-un.
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Early career
From 1988 to 1999 Garibashvili attended the secondary school No. 1 in Dedoplistsqaro. From 1999 to 2005 Garibashvili studied International Relations at Tbilisi State University (TSU), where he graduated with a master's degree. He also studied at the Pantheon-Sorbonne University from 2002 to 2004. Since 2004, he has worked with the multi-billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. He started by working for logistics division of the construction company Burji, owned by Ivanshvili's Cartu Group. He became Director General of Ivanishvili's charity foundation Cartu in 2005, a member of the supervisory board of Ivanishvili's Cartu Bank in 2007, and director of the label Georgian Dream founded by Ivanishvili's pop-star son Bera from 2009 to 2012.
Early political career
Garibashvili became involved in the politics of Georgia when Ivanishvili founded his political party Georgian Dream–Democratic Georgia in February 2012. Garibashvili was one of the founding members and initially headed the party's revision committee. He was included in the party list of MP candidates for the October 2012 parliamentary election. After the coalition won the 2012 parliamentary election on 1 October, Irakli Garibashvili became a party-list representative of the Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia party in the 2012 convocation of the Parliament of Georgia.
Minister of Internal Affairs
After Georgian Dream's victory in the 2012 parliamentary election, Garibashvili was appointed as Minister of Internal Affairs in the cabinet of prime minister Ivanishvili on 25 October 2012. Garibashvili, then 30 years old, became the youngest member of Georgia's new government. Reforming the Interior Ministry, an agency overseeing Georgian police, security and intelligence services, as well as the border guard and navy, was a part of the Georgian Dream's pre-election agenda.
Georgian Dream also promised to "restore justice" during the election campaign and to prosecute officials of the previous government for human rights abuses committed while in office.
During his tenure, Garibashvili announced that he would take steps to de-politicise the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As part of the reform, the Constitutional Security and Special Operative Departments were abolished. An ad hoc commission was set up to handle 24 000 illegal surveillance files found in the MIA. Those files, which contained compromising footage, were destroyed in presence of media and members of a commission in August 2013.
Garibashvili's agency faced the post-election spike in crime in Georgia after the newly elected government granted large-scale prison amnesty to reduce Georgia's high incarceration rate. Garibashvili opposed the amnesty project, but it was implemented by the parliament anyway.
First premiership (2013–2015)
On 2 November 2013, prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who had declared his intention to quit the government following the October 2013 presidential election, named Garibashvili as his successor. He and his cabinet won in a vote of 93–19 in the Parliament of Georgia on 20 November 2013. Garibashvili thus occupied the most powerful political office in the country as the constitution amendments had transferred power from the president to the prime minister and the government. At heated parliamentary debates with the United National Movement minority during the vote, Garibashvili promised economic improvement and stressed that Georgia's EU and NATO aspiration would remain his foreign priorities.
On 24 November 2013, he was elected chairman of the Georgian Dream–Democratic Georgia party, succeeding Ivanishvili. Garibashvili announced his resignation on 23 December 2015. While no reason was given for the sudden move, it was reported that he may have done so due to low levels of support for the Georgian Dream among the populace, with it polling at 18% in November, and parliamentary elections scheduled for 2016. Opposition politicians, analysts and media speculated that falling support for the ruling Georgian Dream coalition, pressure from the previous prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, or tensions with the president Giorgi Margvelashvili were possible explanations for Garibashvili's resignation. Garibashvili was succeeded as prime minister by Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who had been his Minister of Foreign Affairs, with the transfer of power taking effect on 29 December.
Government initiatives
During his tenure the Security and Crisis Management Council was established, as stipulated by the new Constitution of Georgia. In addition, the Unified Coordination Center for Crisis Management was created, with technical assistance from the US, the United Kingdom and Israel. To coordinate the country's economic policy, Irakli Garibashvili established the Economic Council.
Human rights
The Georgian Government initiated, and the European Union directly supported, the development of the Human Rights Strategy and Action Plan. A relevant statement was made by prime minister Garibashvili at the Human Rights Conference, on 4 December 2013. The Human Rights Strategy covers seven years and will not depend on the political cycle.
Foreign policy
During his tenure, Garibashvili visited the neighboring countries Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, several European nations, the United States, Israel, the People's Republic of China, and participated in several international summits and forums. While relations to Russia improved, there was no state visits to and from Russia.
Relations to the European Union were a priority, culminating in the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, initiated at the Vilnius summit and signed on 27 June 2014. This association agreement included a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement between Georgia and the European Union and paved the way for the abolition of visa for travel from Georgia to the Schengen area, planned for 2017.
Return to private sector
In February 2018, Garibashvili became the regional adviser to the board of the CEFC China Energy company.
Second premiership (2021–2024)
Domestic policy
Namakhvan HPP construction
Gharibashvili terminated the construction of Namakhvan HPP, agreed by the previous government headed by Giorgi Gakharia. On 14 March, a large protest by the locals was held against construction of a power plant, including due to environmental concerns, at the central square of Kutaisi. At the end of March 2021, in accordance with the people's demand, Gharibashvili announced that he reached a compromise with the HPP construction company about the postponement of the deadline. In May 2021, a massive rally against the construction was held in Tbilisi. Garibashvili stated that the project would not continue under "current conditions" of the contract, which many activists described as "cabal" and "harming state interests". In March 2022, the private investor notified the government of Georgia that it had terminated the contract due to "violation of the terms of the contract and force majeure". Garibashvili stated that the state would build a plant on much favorable terms.
Gambling regulations
In December 2021, the Parliament passed a new gambling law, which was initiated by the Garibashvili government. The law has tightened the regulations on gambling industry. It increased the age limit for gambling from 18 (for online gambling) and 21 (for casinos) to 25 and banned gambling for public employees.
Proposed foreign agents law
On 7 March 2023, the Georgian parliament passed a foreign agents law in the first reading which would label any organization that has more than 20% of its profits be recorded from outside of Georgia as "agents of foreign influence." Garibashvili has been a leading figure in trying to get the bill passed stating that the bill meets "European and global standards". After parliament voted in favor of the bill, tens of thousands of protesters arrived at parliament to protest the bill, being met with riot police, tear gas, and water canons. On 9 March, the government announced that it would withdrew the bill due to protests and that all protesters who were arrested would be released from prison. On 10 March the bill was formally defeated in a second vote by the Parliament, while an alternative bill was retracted.
Resignation
On 29 January 2024, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced about his resignation, citing the importance of internal inter-party democracy and the need to "give others a chance." The announcement was made during a special briefing at the Government Administration, where Garibashvili confirmed his acceptance of an offer to become the Chair of the Georgian Dream party. Expressing gratitude to various party members and government officials, including founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, Garibashvili acknowledged their support during his term as Prime Minister.
Application to join the European Union
On 3 March 2022 Prime Minister Garibashvili signed the country's application for membership of the European Union (EU).
In June 2022, the European Council expressed readiness to grant Georgia the status of a candidate after completing a set of reforms recommended by the commission.
Second resignation
On 29 January 2024, Garibashvili announced that he would step down from his position as Prime Minister and would accept an offer to become chairman of the Georgian Dream party ahead of parliamentary elections to be held later in the year.
Political positions
Garibashvili has been described as a conservative-leaning politician. In 2014 he proposed to solidify the definition of marriage as union between a man and a woman in the Constitution of Georgia to balance the opposition from conservatives and Orthodox Church to the adoption of the Anti-Discrimination law, which was Georgia's precondition to get a visa free regime with the EU.
In his address to parliament in 2021, Gharibashvili criticized the idea of a minimal state and the "invisible hand of the market". He said that "small state idea is a myth impeding the country's development" and called on the government to play an active role in economy. Gharibashvili stated that "history does not know the precedent of development by allowing processes to flow on their own" and "neither Europe nor America developed in this way". Gharibashvili also emphasized that Georgia should become economically more self-sufficient.
Gharibashvili opposed mandatory vaccination against COVID-19, saying that Georgian citizens should enjoy "the right and an opportunity of free choice".
Personal life
Garibashvili is married to Nunuka Tamazashvili (born 1983), with three sons, Nikoloz (born 2005), Andria (born 2010), Gabriel (born 2015) and one daughter Nino (born 2016).
In addition to Georgian, Garibashvili also speaks English, French and Russian.
Honours
On 23 August 2021, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Garibashvili with the first degree order of merit during the Crimea Platform summit.
See also
In Spanish: Irakli Garibashvili para niños
