Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has appointed Member of Parliament Maia Bitadze as the country’s new Minister of Culture.
Bitadze succeeds Tinatin Rukhadze, who stepped down on July 28 citing health issues.
A lawyer by training, Maia Bitadze has served as a member of parliament across two convocations since 2020. In the 2024 parliament, she chaired the Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.
Prior to that, beginning in 2017, Bitadze served as deputy mayor of Tbilisi under Kakha Kaladze. Between 2014 and 2017, she held the position of Deputy Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia.
According to her official biography, Bitadze’s professional career has been tied to environmental issues for many years. Since 2012, she has also been an associate professor at the Faculty of Law at Tbilisi State University (TSU).
“This decision carries immense responsibility and represents a vote of confidence for me. Culture is not only creativity and cultural heritage, but also an integral part of our identity and the language through which we must speak to the world. I realize how much ground we have to cover. I hope our efforts will be fruitful and that I will fulfill this responsibility with honor,” Bitadze stated following her appointment as minister.
Bitadze’s parliamentary mandate will be officially terminated.