New president of Georgia starts in new workplace

On November 18, the newly elected President of Georgia Georgy Margvelashvily went to work. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that he refused to occupy the presidential palace and is temporarily working in the State Office of the Government, in the premises of the former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili.

The presidential administration will occupy a building in central Tbilisi, which is now repaired. Presumably, it will be ready by the spring of 2014.

"I stated during my election campaign that the president's residence should not be so huge. The money spent on it should be returned to the people. I suggested the political council (of the ruling coalition "Georgian Dream") to accommodate the Georgian-American Technical University in the residence... I am glad that the money spent on this prestigious building will be at disposal of Georgian students," said Georgy Margvelashvily.

The Tbilisi residents interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent believe that Georgia should introduce a tradition for all the presidents to work in the same building. In this case, according to the respondents, the building is the former Presidential Palace is most suitable for starting the new tradition.

The construction of the above Palace was launched by the former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili in 2004 and was completed in 2009. According to official data, the cost of the construction was about 4.5 million US dollars; however, according to the opposition, the actual expenses made 18 million US dollars.