The ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party has nominated Givi Chichinadze, the incumbent governor of Imereti region, as its candidate for the April 28 parliamentary by-elections in the Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency.

The decision was announced on March 13, following the party’s political council meeting.

Givi Chichinadze has served as the governor of Imereti region since 2015. Prior to that, he worked as the gamgebeli (local executive) of the Vake district in Tbilisi. In 2012-2013, he held a number of positions in the Georgian Dream party.

The majoritarian seat in the Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency became vacant after Grigol Liluashvili, a ruling party lawmaker, who chaired the Parliament’s committee for regional policy and self-governance, was appointed the deputy head of the State Security Service.

Twelve political parties have been registered for the April 28 by-elections, according to the Central Election Commission. The deadline for submitting the candidate applications expires on March 29.

Until now, Gigi Ugulava, former Tbilisi mayor and secretary general of the opposition European Georgia party, was the only candidate to have announced his decision to run in the April parliamentary by-elections.