Vakhtang Balavadze (politician)

For the wrestler, see Vakhtang Balavadze.

Vakhtang Balavadze (Georgian: ვახტანგ ბალავაძე) (born August 23, 1978) is a Georgian candidate of Technical Sciences, Professor, Former Politician, Engineer and Entrepreneur. He was Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Georgia from August 13, 2012 to October 25, 2012.(Archived by WebCite®).</ref>

Education

Vakhtang Balavadze studied at Tbilisi Secondary School # 140 in 1984-1995. In 1995 he entered Georgian Technical University at Department of Construction Economics and Management that he graduated with honor and was given Bachelor's degree of Engineer-Economist in 1999.

In 2000-2002 Vakhtang Balavadze continued his studies at Georgian Technical University Constructing Management Department at the Faculty of Engineering and after graduation, he was awarded by Master's degree.

Vakhtang Balavadze became a candidate for technical sciences in 2006.

Career

Vakhtang Balavadze started his political career in 1998 and parliamentary activities in 2004. He was a member of the parliament of the 6th and 7th terms. In 2012 he was appointed as the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Georgia, in 2013 he was represented as the President's State Representative - Governor of Imereti Region and in 2014 he was appointed as Nadzaladevi District Governor at Tbilisi City Hall.

Since 2014, he has been engaged in professional (engineering) and scientific (pedagogical) activities. He is employed at two higher educational institutions: He has a position of Academic Professor at Georgian Technical University and is the Head of the Bachelor's Program at "San Diego State University - Georgia" and also is Supervisor of the Construction Management Bachelor Program.

At the same time he works at Engineering Consulting Company “FORCE”, Tbilisi, Georgia where he is the Founder and Chief Project Manager and also he has the position of Chief Project Engineer at Civil Engineering Design and Engineering surveys Company, LTD “KAVTRANSPROJECT”.

Vakhtang Balavadze is awarded with “The Presidential Order of Excellence”. He is a correspondent member of the Engineering Academy of Georgia, the author of scientific papers and publications.

Political Career

Vakhtang Balavadze started political activity in 1998 in Political Organization “YOUNG CITIZENS UNION” - Tbilisi, Georgia, where he served as the Inspector of the Regional Department, in 1999-2000 he was Deputy Head of the Regional Department. He was appointed as the Head of the Regional Department in 2000 –2001. In 2001-2002 he was the Senior Secretary of the party.

In 2001 the political and social crisis created the condition of dissolution of the country’s most influential party “Georgian Citizens Union”. Three new forces - "New Rights", "United National Movement" and "Free Democrats" were allocated from the ruling team. It was in the group of reformers that Vakhtang Balavadze was involved in creation of a new party in 2002. Accordingly, in 2002-2004 he got different positions. Among them, he was the Member of the Political Council of “Democrats” Union”, the Executive Secretary of Tbilisi City Organization and “Young Democrats’ Union” Deputy Chairman.

After that there was the Revolution of Roses, the unity of the “United National Movement” and the "Free Democrats" as one party, the participation in the 2004 parliamentary elections with the name of the new bloc "National Movement-Democrats" and getting constitutional majority.

Accordingly, in 2004 Vakhtang Balavadze started his political activity as a representative of the election bloc “National Movement – Democrats” in the sixth term of parliament of Georgia. In 2004 - 2008 he was the Secretary of “National Movement –Democrats” faction, in 2006 - 2008 - The Speaker of the Party Council. Later, the amendment was made in the registration of the bloc and from 2008 to 2012 Vakhtang Balavadze was the represented as the election bloc "United National Movement - for winning Georgia" in the sixth term of parliament of Georgia. In 2008-2012 he was a Faction Member of "United National Movement" and from 2012 to 2017 he was the member of Political Council of “United National Movement”.

In 2017, the party crisis led the United National Movement to the separation of one group of politicians with differing opinions and founding of a new Political Party "European Georgia - Movement for Liberty". With the teammates Vakhtang Balavadze was the participant in the political process and in 2017-2018 he was the Member of the Political Council and since 2018 he has been the Member of the Founding Board.

Legislative Career

Vakhtang Balavadze was a member of the Parliament of Georgia of two terms in 2004- 2012. In 2004-2008, he was in the legislative body of 6th Term of the Parliament of Georgia from the election bloc “National Movement – Democrats”. During these years he worked in 4 committees. He was the in Defense and Security Committee - Member of the Committee (2004-2005), also in the Sector Economy and Economic Policy Committee - Member of the Committee (2005-2008), he was in Budget And Finance Committee - Member of the Committee (2006 - 2007) and Budget and Finance Committee - Deputy Chairperson of the Committee (2007 - 2008).

In 2008-2012 Vakhtang Balavadze entered the Legislative body from the Election bloc: "The United National Movement - For Winning Georgia" and in this period he was the member in the Budget and Finance Committee (2008 - 2009) and in the Procedural Issues And Rules Committee (2008 -2012). In 2009-2010 he was the Deputy Chairperson of the Budget and Finance Committee; in 2010-2012 he was elected as a Chairperson of the Committee of Region Policy, Self-Government and Mountainous Regions.

Public Service

Vakhtang Balavadze started a public servant's career in 2003. The Parliament of Georgia was the starting dislocation and from 2003 to 2004 the position was first deputy head of the parliamentary staff.

From 2004 to 2012, he moved to the legislative body from the public space and was a member of the parliament of two terms. In 2012 he was appointed to position of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Georgia.

Later, when the ruling party lost in the elections of 2 October 2012 and the power was transferred to the opposition coalition “Georgian Dream”, President Mikheil Saakashvili made a governmental rotation and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources was appointed as a Governor of Imereti Region. He was on this position till 2013.

In 2013-2014 Vakhtang Balavadze returned to Tbilisi again and was appointed to the position of Nadzaladevi District Governor.

Academic Activity

In 2006-2008 Vakhtang Balavadze became the Member of the Scientific-editorial board Scientific-technical journal “BUILDING”, later in 2017-2016 he was a Research fellow at “Educational-Scientific Center for Bridge Testing" and h has participated in testing and examining of more than 80 bridges.

In 2014-2016 Vakhtang Balavadze worked on the Faculty of Transportation and Mechanical Engineering, Roads (Civil Engineering, Transportation and Mechanical Engineering Inter-Faculty) Department - Associate Professor (Invited).

In 2016-2019 Vakhtang Balavadze continues his academic career as an Academic Professor at Georgian Technical University at the Department of Construction Economics and Management.

In 2019 Vakhtang Balavadze begins to work at San Diego State University-Georgia as Supervisor of the Construction Management Bachelor Program.

Professional (Engineering) Experience and Career

In 2015 Vakhtang Balavadze founded Engineering Consulting Company “FORCE”, where he is the chief manager of projects. In 2016 Vakhtang Balavadze started working as Chief Project Engineer at Civil Engineering Design and Engineering surveys Company, LTD ,” KAVTRANSPROJECT “.

Vakhtang Balavadze is a member of Construction Management Association of America CMAA, Georgian Association of Consulting Engineers-ACEG Tbilisi, Georgia and American Society of Civil Engineers ASCE, Construction Institute CI.