“Pursuant to the Constitution of Georgia and Rules of Procedure of the Parliament, the nomination of the Auditor General is the exclusive authority of the Speaker of the Parliament, and within the framework of this authority, I am submitting to the Parliament the candidacy of Tsotne Kavlashvili for the position of the Auditor General”, - Shalva Papuashvili stated at a special briefing today.

According to Shalva Papuashvili, the term of office of the incumbent Auditor General of the State Audit Service expires on September 20 of this year.

The Speaker thanked Irakli Mekvabishvili for his work and noted that during the period of activity of Irakli Mekvabishvili, the State Audit Service has moved to a new stage of development.

"Today, the Audit Service is deserving of the highest ratings based on all impartial assessments. In specifically, the State Audit Service earned 3.4 out of a possible 4 points in the joint review conducted by the EU and the OECD in 2022. Georgia's State Audit Service received an evaluation of 9.5 out of a possible 10 points on the World Bank's independence index. Irakli Mekvabishvili and all State Audit Service personnel have earned my sincere gratitude for these outcomes", - the Speaker of the Parliament remarked.

"Tsotne Kavlashvili spent many years working for the Ministry of Finance. He is an illustration of a professional and diligent civil servant who, in 15 years, advanced from an ordinary specialist to a Deputy Minister. He has extensive experience in this field and has managed audit activities in his role as Deputy Minister. He has been the State Treasury's director since 2013 as well. Additionally, Mr. Tsotne has a wealth of expertise working with international organizations, donors, and financial structures", - the Speaker noted.

Shalva Papuashvili emphasized the importance of fruitful cooperation between the Parliament of Georgia and the State Audit Service.

"The State Audit Service is one of the main tools that helps the Parliament and each of its members to supervise the regularity and effectiveness of spending state funds. Therefore, it is particularly important that the fruitful cooperation that has been established between the Parliament and the State Audit Service continues with the same intensity. The vote on the election of the Auditor General will be held next week. I am sure that Mr. Tsotne will have the full support of the parliamentary majority. At the same time, considering that the audit service is an important institution for all members of the Parliament, I hope that the opposition colleagues will also support the new auditor general", - Shalva Papuashvili added.

Tsotne Kavlashvili thanked the Speaker of the Parliament for the expressed trust - "I am fully aware of the great responsibility that will be imposed on me in case of approval. I will spare no effort to make this most important and successful institution even more effective and successful".