Giorgi Baramidze (; born January 5, 1968) is a Georgian politician who served as Vice Prime Minister of Georgia and State Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration from 2004 to 2012. On October 21, 2012, he was elected as a vice-speaker of the Parliament of Georgia.
Early life
Baramidze was born on January 5, 1968, in Tbilisi, Georgia. He graduated from the Department of Chemical Technologies of the Georgian Technical University in 1992. While at the university, he was a co-founder and one of leaders of the student movement. In 1990, he joined forces with other activists establishing and leading Green Party of Georgia. Following graduation from the university in 1992, he worked as the head of a department at the Committee of Human Rights and National Minorities. In 1995, he graduated from George C. Marshall Center for European Security Studies and Defense Economics in Garmisch, Germany.
After start of the military operations in Abkhazia in 1992, he became the head of Green Party Humanitarian Aid Office where he oversaw provision of humanitarian supplies, evacuation of peaceful population from the occupied territories and liberation of Georgian hostages. He's credited with freeing of 200 Georgian prisoners and facilitating rescue of 3,000 Georgian civilians who fled the conflict zone. He later participated in combat operations in Labra village of Ochamchire district and around Sukhumi. that were seen to be in opposition to the President Mikheil Saakashvili. As such he publicly cast doubt upon the official explanation for Zhvania's death due to carbon monoxide poisoning and instead appeared to endorse the possibility of foul play stating "none of the versions [of explanation for his death] should be ruled out."
In June 2004, he was appointed Minister of Defense replacing Gela Bezhuashvili. In December 2004, he was moved to the post of Vice Premier and State Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration.
Return to the Parliament
In August 2012, Baramdize resigned from his government position in order to run as the United National Movement's majoritarian candidate in Batumi in the 2012 parliamentary election. The election saw the defeat of the UNM by the Georgian Dream coalition and Baramidze lost the Batumi race, but he obtained a seat in the new parliament through a party list. On October 21, 2012, he was elected as one of the vice-speakers of the Parliament of Georgia from bloc "United National Movement - More benefit to People", representing the parliamentary minority.
In June 2013, the UNM named Baramidze as one of the four candidates for the party's presidential primaries.
Personal life
Baramidze speaks Georgian, English, Russian and French. Baramidze has one daughter, Anna Baramidze, from his first marriage.