Georgia’s Constitutional Commission Member Appointed New Georgian Ambassador to Armenia

Georgia’s Constitutional Commission Secretary Tengiz Sharmanishvili has been appointed Georgia’s Ambassador to Armenia. 

Sharmanishvili represents the National Democratic Party in Georgia, which considers itself to be an opposition group; however, Tbilisi considers the party to be part of the pro-government elite.

Recall that the Commission under Sharmanishvili’s secretariat drafted a baseline document for constitutional amendments that will reduce the powers of the president and strengthen the role of the prime minister after the country’s presidential elections in 2013.

Some critics, however, contend that the amendments were a ploy to allow Georgia’s current president, Mikheil Saakashvili to remain the country’s de facto leader — by assuming the role of prime minister after his presidential term ends.