Georgian PM resigns

TBILISI: Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze announced his resignation on Monday, sparking speculation about his successor in the country recently rocked by anti-government protests accusing the authorities of ties to Russia.

"I took the decision to resign from my post as I think that at this stage I’ve accomplished my mission," Bakhtadze wrote on Facebook.

Bakhtadze, who has been in office since June 2018, also thanked Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, widely believed to be calling the shots in Georgia, for his "support and confidence". Georgy Volsky, a lawmaker in Georgia Dream, told Russia’s Interfax news agency that the party was holding talks on its candidate for premier and would make an announcement on Tuesday. "So far we can’t talk with 100-percent certainty about future changes in the makeup of the government," Volsky said.