Georgian president nominates PM

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili nominated coalition leader Bidzina Ivanishvili as the South Caucasus country's new prime minister Wednesday, a presidential spokesperson said. The billionaire would have 10 days to present his new cabinet lineup to the parliament for approval, presidential spokesperson Manana Manjgaladze told a press briefing. Manjgaladze said Ivanishvili, whose Georgian Dream coalition won the Oct. 1 parliamentary election, was offered the chance to form government in line with the Georgian constitution. Under the constitution, the nominated prime minister has up to 10 days to present to the president and the parliament with his cabinet for their confirmation and ratification. The new parliament will convene its first session in Kutaisi, the second largest city in Georgia, on Oct. 21. Saakashvili said the outgoing ruling party and government would go through all the formalities to facilitate confirming the new government. "It's not about whether I like this composition of the cabinet or not," the president said. "What matters is that it's the will of the Georgian people." The new parliament, in which Ivanishvili's coalition has 85 seats of the 150 seats, will decide whether to approve the proposed cabinet with a simple majority, or 76 votes.