Dimitri Shashkini

Dimitri Shashkini (Georgian: დიმიტრი შაშკინი) (born 8 August 1975) is a Georgian politician of Russian descent, serving as the Minister of Defense of Georgia from 4 July 2012 to 25 October 2012.

Dimitri Shashkini
დიმიტრი შაშკინი
Minister of Defense of Georgia
In office
4 July 2012 – 25 October 2012
Prime MinisterVano Merabishvili
Preceded byBachana Akhalaia
Succeeded byIrakli Alasania
Minister of Education and Science of Georgia
In office
21 December 2009 – 4 July 2012
Prime MinisterNika Gilauri
Preceded byNika Gvaramia
Succeeded byKhatia Dekanoidze
Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance of Georgia
In office
2 February 2009 – 21 December 2009
Succeeded byKhatuna Kalmakhelidze
Personal details
Born (1975-08-08) August 8, 1975
Tbilisi, Georgia
Political partyUnited National Movement
Military service
Branch/serviceAkhaltsikhe Military Base of the Georgian Army
Years of service1993-1996
RankLieutenant

Early years

Shashkini was born on August 8, 1975 in Tbilisi, Georgia, to a family of Russian background stemming from Ukraine. In 1992-1993, he attended the Greek-Georgian University, studying International Law. From 1992 through 1993, he worked as an inspector at the weapons office in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. From 1993 to 1998, he attended Tbilisi State University, graduating with a master's degree in Criminal Law with an emphasis on State, Tax and Criminal Law. He also briefly served as a Lieutenant at the Akhaltsikhe Military Base of the Georgian Armed Forces until 1996. In 1997-1998, Shashkini worked as a program assistant at the American Bar Association and from 1998 through 2001 as an assistant program officer at the International Republican Institute (IRI). In 2001, he was promoted to resident program officer at the same institution and in 2007 became the resident country director of IRI, retaining the position until 2009. Between 1998-2008, Shashkini also provided private consulting and management services to various candidates during election campaigns.[1] He became IRI's chief of party in 2008.[2]

Political career

On February 2, 2009 Shashkini was appointed as the head of the newly established Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance of Georgia.[3] On December 21, 2009 he was replaced by Khatuna Kalmaxelidze, and appointed Minister of Education and Science of Georgia.[1][4] On July 4, 2012, he was moved to the position of Defense Minister of Georgia.[5]

Shashkini said Georgia's defense policy would be built around "the principle of three Ts": Total Care, Total Training, and Total Defense.[6] On October 25, 2012, following the parliamentary election which saw the defeat of the ruling United National Movement party, Shashkini was succeeded by Irakli Alasania as the Minister of Defense. Prior to that, on October 22, he confirmed, in a message posted on his Facebook page that he had left Georgia, saying that he had "spent the happiest four years of my life with Mikheil Saakashvili's government and together we have all elevated Georgia to the zenith of its development."[7] He returned to Georgia in March 2013.

Shashkini is married and has two children.

References
  1. "Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. Dimitri Shashkin". Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  2. Max Bader Against All Odds: Aiding Political Parties in Georgia and Ukraine Page 129 - 2010 "Allegations by the opposition to the effect that IRI was pursuing a partisan line appeared to be substantiated when Dimitri Shashkin, long-standing program officer for IRI in Georgia who was promoted to become IRI's chief of party in 2008,"
  3. "Dimitri Shashkin to head the Ministry for Probations of Georgia". Georgia Times. 2009-02-02. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  4. "Adjara Television. Nika Gilauri presented Dimitry Shashkin". Archived from the original on 2011-09-03. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  5. Reshuffled Cabinet and its New Program Confirmed. Civil Georgia. July 4, 2012.
  6. New Defense Minister Lays Out Priorities. Civil Georgia. July 10, 2012.
  7. Shashkin Confirms he Left Georgia. Civil Georgia. October 22, 2012.
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