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What do you think of the new cabinet?

Friday, January 25
“I like the prime minister, but the cabinet is fundamentally unchanged. [President Mikheil] Saakashvili promised completely new faces for his team, but all the key people are still in top posts.”
Revi, cultural liaison, 29

“It was not something unexpected, I knew many candidates would be completely new faces. However, I think Saakashvili is not making a clever move by leaving [Interior Minister Vano] Merabishvili in the cabinet.”
Elena, manager, 32

“Somehow, I want to believe Gurgenidze is a professional and he chose the best cadres. I believe in this guy.”
Irma, pensioner, 65

“Who cares about the rest of ministers. The main thing is that they left Merabishvili in!”
Nana, housewife, 43

“I have no idea how good they are, if they are any good at all. Time will show and you know what?—they had better fulfill all the promises Saakashvili has made.”
Gia, advertisement manager, 41

“Well it's very tricky, because they left in the interior and defense ministers, and look at the changes—environment and healthcare?! Some of the main faces remain in their positions. The foreign minister is a notable exception.”
Dina, photographer, 26

“The most surprising thing to me was [former foreign minister Gela] Bezhuashvili leaving the cabinet. I did not expect it at all. As for the others, it's hard to say for now—time will show—but frankly the whole country is waiting for a decision on Merabishvili. So in this case I think all the rest, new and old, are overshadowed by Merabishvili's case.”
Dodo, teaching assistant, 29

“What can I say? Merabishvili's still in, Nodia and Iakobashvili received their posts in exchange for their support of Misha [Saakashvili] and Bezhuashvili left after some argument with Saakashvili.”
Irakli, journalist, 27

“Frankly, because of my profession I'm most interested in the new healthcare minister. The last one pushed through a few really bad reforms and I hope the new one will change the situation. As for the other ministers, I just hope the new ones can make a difference.”
Valentina, doctor, 53