TBILISI, Georgia, Sha'ban 11, 1433, Jul 1, 2012, SPA - Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has named veteran Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili as the country's New Prime Minister. The appointment of the new prime minister comes ahead of an October parliamentary election that will set in motion a fundamental change in how the country is governed, according to a report of the Associated Press. The party that wins the parliamentary election has the right to select the prime minister, under a 2010 constitutional reform. Saakashvili is not eligible to run in January's presidential election, but the 2010 reform has also granted the prime minister additional powers to rival those of the president. Saakashvili, who announced the appointment late Saturday, has not yet said what he plans to do when he leaves the presidency. --SPA 14:37 LOCAL TIME 11:37 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/1012310