Vano Merabishvili

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Vano Merabishvili
Vano Merabishvili

Vano Merabishvili (Georgian: ვანო მერაბიშვილი) (born 15 April 1968 in Ude, Adigeni Region) is the Interior Minister of Georgia.

Merabishvili graduated from the Technical University of Georgia in 1992 with a degree from the Faculty of Mining. After his schooling he held several positions at the Technical University of Georgia before co-founding the Liberty Institute in 1996.

Merabishvili's direct involvement with politics came in 1999 when he was elected a Member of the Georgian Parliament. He supported the Rose Revolution and the reformist leadership of President Mikheil Saakashvili, who appointed him as the National Security Advisor.

After serving as the NSA for five months, in June he was promoted to the Minister of State Security of Georgia. This department was later merged with the Interior Ministry. Then-Prime Minister, Zurab Zhvania said "As a result of this structural change, the new government will be transformed into a western type model and will finally break from the Soviet heritage."

On December 18, 2004 he was appointed to the post of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia (chief of police).

During 2006 a series of controversies have arisen, leading to questions over Merabishvili's leadership of the new Ministry. The Sandro Girgvliani Murder Case has been at the forefront of several opposition attempts to force Merabishvili to resign, with some politicians and human rights organisations claiming that the Minister has been involved in an alleged cover-up of the crime. Sandro Girgvliani was found dead on the outskirts of Tbilisi after an apparent argument with high-ranking Ministry officials at a bar where Vano Merabishvili's wife – Tako Salakaia was present together with the Interior Ministry officials.

Merabishvili speaks English. He has a wife and a son.