David Gamkrelidze

David Gamkrelidze was born on April 2, 1964 in a family of Geologist, Academician of Georgia’s Academy of Sciences and one of the most distinguished representatives of Georgian geological school Erekle Gamkrelidze and Ia Gobronidze. Grandfather, Petre Gamkrelidze was one of the founders of Georgian geological school.

David Gamkrelidze graduated from the Tbilisi 55th secondary school. In 1982 he became student of  Tbilisi State Medical University, Faculty of Pediatrics. He was a distinguished student, holder of Tarkhnishvili Scholarship, member of the Student’s Medical Council. He was a frequent participant of various students’ international conferences and Scientific Olympiads.

Since 1988 the ‘National liberation movement’ gained significant momentum among the Georgian population; especially among the youth. The Georgian citizens began to demand independence and the country unraveled in massive protest demonstrations. In this hectic time, David Gamkrelidze, along with his friends, established the Christian-Democratic Association, which later was renamed into the Christian-Democratic Union.

David Gamkrelidze took active part in the March-April 1989 protest demonstrations against Soviet Army.
Right after the tragic events of April 9, 1989 several organizations were established, the Rustaveli Society among them, of which David Gamkrelidze was a member.

In the spring of 1989, with the purpose of coordinating the National Liberation Movement, the National Forum was established. The participants of the forum were Gia Chanturia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Irakli Batiashvili and others. The Christian-Democratic Union was represented at the Forum by David Gamkrelidze and Irakli Kakabadze. In June 1989, the first delegation of the National Liberation Movement traveled to Paris, France to celebrate the Independence Day of Georgia at the invitation from the Georgian Community living there. David Gamkrelidze was a member of the delegation as well.

After the collapse of the Communist regime in 1990 and Georgia’s eventual re-gaining of independence, David Gamkrelidze concluded that he had exhausted his function in the National Liberation Movement and moved to entrepreneurial activities. Along with his friends, he established the first ever insurance company in Georgia, the Aldagi. Very soon, Aldagi became the flagman of the insurance industry in Georgia. In 1999, David Gamkrelidze, as the President of Aldagi, was named among the ten most successful businessmen of Georgia.

In 1998 he was elected member of the Tbilisi City Council.

For the then ruling party (Citizens’ Union of Georgia), in order to win the general elections badly needed a certain number of successful people in its electoral party list. David Gamkrelidze, who never was member of this party, along with other businessmen agreed to take part in the elections. On October 31, 1999 David Gamkrelidze became member of the Parliament of Georgia. At the first session sitting, he got elected as chairman of the Healthcare and Social Issues Committee. Gradually, David Gamkrelidze and his friends realized that the ruling party did not actually care for their professionalism and commitment to the matters of national importance. The period of disenchantment began, which reached its peak in the spring of 2000. That was right after the ruling party presented to the Parliament the budget for ratification in 1999 and demanded from the MPs to endorse it.

David Gamkrelidze resigned in sign of protest and called for creation of a committee that would investigate the budget deficit of 1999.
On May 17, 2000 a special commission was formed with David Gamkrelidze at the chairmanship to investigate the budget deficit of 1999. In six months, David Gamkrelidze presented to the Parliament a conclusion and said the whole truth as to what the reason for the 1999 drastic budget deficit in actuality was.

On September 8, 2000 with the purpose to overcome the critical situation prevalent in the country and in order to raise public awareness in this regard, 35 professionals established a public organization - the “New Movement”. David Gamkrelidze was one of its founders and an active member.

On September 17, 2000 the “New Faction” Group was formed in the Parliament. David Gamkrelidze was elected chairman of the group.
The “New Faction”, despite of its smallness, significantly changed the situation in the Parliament. It truly said a totally different and new word in Georgia’s politics.

On June 15, 2001 on the basis of the New Faction, New Movement and Neo-Conservators party, a political party was created. The party was called the New Rights of Georgia (NRP). The founding congress elected David Gamkrelidze as its co-chairman.

In a year since its founding, NRP reached very high results for a party which was only a year’s old. On June 2, 2002 the NRP won the first place in the local elections all across Georgia, and the third place on Tbilisi level. David Gamkrelidze contributed significantly to the success of the party. He personally headed the party’s election campaign. After winning the local elections, the party began to prepare for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

In September, 2002 David Gamkrelidze and his friends submited to the Parliament of Georgia a decree regarding Georgia’s accession to NATO as a foreign policy priority, declaration was unanimously adopted. This was the first open statement about Georgia’s willingness to join NATO.

Before November 2, 2003 elections, David Gamkrelidze was unanimously elected as a party chairman.
The results of the parliamentary elections of November 2, 2003, in which the NRP overcame the 7-percent threshold, were abolished. New general elections were called. There was very little time left before the March 28, 2004 elections. The revolutionary sentiments were gaining momentum. Therefore, everyone inside and outside of the country was sure that none of the opposition parties would be able to succeed. From the so-called non-revolutionary parties, only the NRP were able to overcome the 7-percent barrier. They made a coalition with another party of center-right orientation, the Industrials and consequently successfully overcame the 7-percent threshold. David Gamkrelidze was in charge of the Industrial’s and New Right’s election campaign on March 28, 2004 as well. David Gamkrelidze became member of the Parliament for a second term.

On June 3, 2006 David Gamkrelidze was re-elected as the New Rights Party chairman at the 3rd Party Congress.

From March, 2004 till May, 2008 he was heading the Right Opposition Group in the Parliament of Georgia; he was also member of the Defense and Security Committee as well as member of the Delegation to NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

David Gamkrelidze ran for January 5, 2008 presidential elections as a candidate nominated by three political parties (NRP, Industrials and National Democrats).

During May 21, 2008 Parliamentary elections David Gamkrelidze was general campaign manager of the United Opposition. He won the single-seat constituency in Vake district of Tbilisi, although due to mass fraud of the elections he boycotted General Results together with his party fellows.

David Gamkrelidze has a wife, Marina Madichi and two children - Erekle and Nino.
He speaks Georgian, Russian and English.

 

http://www.gamkrelidze.ge/