Ex-Football Star to Become Georgia's Deputy PM

Kakha Kaladze, one of Georgia's most renowned football players in recent history, has been named as the country's new Deputy Prime Minister.

The former player of Italian giants Milan will also take the post of Regional Development Minister.

Kakhaber "Kakha" Kaladze, who is now retired, had his bank accounts frozen earlier in 2012 over a money-laundering investigation.

On Monday, Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, leader of the Georgian Dream coalition that won October 1 parliamentary elections, named the candidates for his cabinet.

Ivanishvili proposed Irakli Alasania, leader of the Our Georgia – Free Democrats party for the post of Deputy Prime Minster and Defense Minster, RIA Novosti informs.

Coalition press speaker Maya Panjikidze was nominated as Foreign Minister. Irakli Garibashvili, another of the coalition leaders, was given the Interior Minister post.

Also appointed were Teya Tsulukiani as Justice Minister, David Kirvalidze as Agriculture Minister, Paata Zakareishvili as State Minister for Reintegration, Alexei Petriashvili as European Integration Minister, Amiran Gamkrelidze as Health and Social Affairs Minister, Sozar Subari as Corrections and Legal Assistance Minister, Levan Kipiani as Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, Guram Odisharia as Culture and Monument Protection Minister, and Konstantin Surguladze for State Minister for Diaspora Issues.

Georgian Dream won 83 out of 150 seats in parliament. President Mikhail Saakashvili's United National Movement (UNM) will have 67 seats.