Georgia’s prime minister steps down to prepare for national elections this fall

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — The prime minister of the country of Georgia resigned on Monday and said he had accepted an offer to become chairman of the Georgian Dream ruling party ahead of national elections in the fall. The announcement came just a month after controversial billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who founded Georgian Dream, returned as the party’s so-called honorary chairman. During Garibashvili’s second term, former President Mikheil Saakashvili was imprisoned after returning to the country following a conviction in absentia of abusing power. Garibashvili also supported an unsuccessful initiative to impeach current President Salome Zourabichvili.