The Georgian president told the country's parliament earlier in the day that Vladimir Gurgenidze had agreed to resign from his post as prime minister. No explanation was given as to why the 37-year-old former commercial bank chief had been removed from his post.
"I propose to you the candidacy of Grigol Mgaloblishvili for the post of prime minister," Saakashvili said, adding that Mgaloblishvili would be required to submit his proposals on the composition of a new cabinet and hold talks with all political factions and parliamentary committees.
Mgaloblishvili, 35, was educated at Oxford University. He has been Georgia's ambassador to Ankara since 2004.
The Georgian cabinet was formed in January this year following early presidential polls on January 5.
Saakashvili was forced to step down in November last year and call early elections after large-scale demonstrations in the capital, Tbilisi, demanding his resignation over corruption allegations. The protests were eventually broken up by riot police and more than 100 people were hospitalized. He was reelected in polls that were rejected by the opposition as rigged.
