File photo taken on Jan. 26, 2017 shows Mikheil Janelidze speaking at a Spring Festival reception in Chinese embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili appointed former Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze as the new deputy prime minister on Wednesday.(Xinhua/Giorgi Induashvili)
TBILISI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili appointed former Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze as the new deputy prime minister, and former Deputy Energy Minister Ilia Eloshvili as the new energy minister on Wednesday.
Kvirikashvili announced the appointment of Janelidze as the new deputy prime minister after the government session on Wednesday, and said it is "a very important decision."
"Prioritizing foreign relations in the Cabinet of Ministers will contribute to successful implementation of our European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations," he added.
"Eloshvili has rich experience and I am sure that he will successfully fulfill his tasks as the new energy minister," Kvirikashvili said.
The position of energy minister became vacant after former Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze announced his plan to run for the elections in Tbilisi in early July.
Eloshvili has served as deputy energy minister since 2012 while Janelidze was appointed foreign minister in 2015.
