Do you approve of Dimitri Shashkin being appointed Education Minister and should he be replaced at the Penitentiary Ministry by an opposition member?
Wednesday, December 9
“I think Shashkin is quite an educated person. I don’t think he will be a bad Minister of Education. However this appointment was a surprise for me. Previous Minister Gvaramia seemed to handle his duties quite normally.”
Iza, unemployed, 45
“It would be good to have an opposition representative at the Ministry of Penitentiary. I have heard the rumours that the Government is considering Gia Tortladze for this position, but I don’t think Tortladze can be called an opposition leader: He has shown himself to be the biggest supporter of Mikheil Saakashvili lately.”
Zurab, engineer, 51
“I don’t understand our Government’s passion for changing the Ministers every second month. I don’t see the point in replacing Gvaramia with Shashkin. Both were doing a good job in their previous positions. It is hard to guess what lies behind these changes.”
Sandro, IT, 26
"I was really surprised by this replacement. To tell the truth I do not agree with it. Education and the Penitentiary are absolutely different structures and new Ministers should be competent if you replace the existing ones."
Gia, worker, 34
"I think there was no need for this replacement. Shashkin and Gvaramia have run their Ministries quite satisfactorily. As for Shashkin’s successor, I have heard that it may be Tortladze and I do not agree with this."
Tamar, teacher, 50
"I believe that Dimitri Shashkin will be a very good Education Minister. He is very educated and knows how to undertake effective reforms. If his old position is taken by an opposition member, they will have an opportunity to show they can run such an important structure and collaborate democratically with the Government."
Nodar, journalist, 32
“Well I have just heard this news, so what’s the use of expressing my opinion? The Government will make changes itself. I of course don’t approve of this action. I don’t like the tendency of changing Ministers from one Ministry to another like they were toys, regardless of their educational background.”
Levan, economist, 25
“Unfortunately our Government has been making quite strange decisions lately. I mean the number of changes of Ministers over the last few years. I can’t give you any specific answer to this question because the Government doesn’t take ordinary people’s thoughts into consideration. As for opposition representatives, it’s common in Europe as well as the USA to bring these into Government but our authorities won’t make exceptions.”
Lali, doctor, 4
“Do you think it is normal to change Ministers each season? I don’t like this, despite my respect for all of them. I think that each person should do his own job. I’m glad if the Ministers are educated and well-organised but I would like to see them in their own fields.”
Mamuka, architect, 48
Iza, unemployed, 45
“It would be good to have an opposition representative at the Ministry of Penitentiary. I have heard the rumours that the Government is considering Gia Tortladze for this position, but I don’t think Tortladze can be called an opposition leader: He has shown himself to be the biggest supporter of Mikheil Saakashvili lately.”
Zurab, engineer, 51
“I don’t understand our Government’s passion for changing the Ministers every second month. I don’t see the point in replacing Gvaramia with Shashkin. Both were doing a good job in their previous positions. It is hard to guess what lies behind these changes.”
Sandro, IT, 26
"I was really surprised by this replacement. To tell the truth I do not agree with it. Education and the Penitentiary are absolutely different structures and new Ministers should be competent if you replace the existing ones."
Gia, worker, 34
"I think there was no need for this replacement. Shashkin and Gvaramia have run their Ministries quite satisfactorily. As for Shashkin’s successor, I have heard that it may be Tortladze and I do not agree with this."
Tamar, teacher, 50
"I believe that Dimitri Shashkin will be a very good Education Minister. He is very educated and knows how to undertake effective reforms. If his old position is taken by an opposition member, they will have an opportunity to show they can run such an important structure and collaborate democratically with the Government."
Nodar, journalist, 32
“Well I have just heard this news, so what’s the use of expressing my opinion? The Government will make changes itself. I of course don’t approve of this action. I don’t like the tendency of changing Ministers from one Ministry to another like they were toys, regardless of their educational background.”
Levan, economist, 25
“Unfortunately our Government has been making quite strange decisions lately. I mean the number of changes of Ministers over the last few years. I can’t give you any specific answer to this question because the Government doesn’t take ordinary people’s thoughts into consideration. As for opposition representatives, it’s common in Europe as well as the USA to bring these into Government but our authorities won’t make exceptions.”
Lali, doctor, 4
“Do you think it is normal to change Ministers each season? I don’t like this, despite my respect for all of them. I think that each person should do his own job. I’m glad if the Ministers are educated and well-organised but I would like to see them in their own fields.”
Mamuka, architect, 48