Ekaterine Zguladze Georgian and Ukrainian statesman and political figure Date of Birth: 18.06.1978 Country: Georgia

1. Early Life and Education
2. Career in Government of Georgia
3. Career in Government of Ukraine
4. Accolades and Recognition
5. Personal Life

Early Life and Education

Eka Zguladze, a notable Georgian and Ukrainian political figure, was born in Tbilisi, Georgia in 1978. She spent her early years in Mtatsminda and attended Tbilisi School No. 47 on Chitadze Street. In 1992, she received a Freedom Support Act scholarship to study at an American high school in Oklahoma, USA. Upon her return, she pursued a degree in International Journalism at Tbilisi State University.

Career in Government of Georgia

After graduating, Zguladze worked as a translator for international organizations. In 2004-2005, she held a position at the Georgian branch of the American government agency Millenium Challenge Corporation.

In 2005, at the age of 27, Zguladze was appointed Deputy Minister of the Interior of Georgia and later became First Deputy Minister. She held this position until 2012. During her tenure, she actively participated in the restructuring and downsizing of Georgia's police force as part of the Saakashvili-Bendukidze reforms.

From September 20th to October 25th, 2012, Zguladze served as Acting Minister of Police and Public Order of Georgia following the resignation of Minister Bacho Akhalaia over the Gldani prison torture scandal. She resigned along with the Merabishvili government after the opposition's victory in the 2012 elections.

Career in Government of Ukraine

On December 13th, 2014, Zguladze acquired Ukrainian citizenship by decree of President Petro Poroshenko. Her appointment as First Deputy Minister of the Interior of Ukraine was widely anticipated. However, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov initially voiced opposition, which was later refuted by Interior Ministry advisor Anton Gerashchenko.

On December 17th, 2014, Zguladze was officially appointed First Deputy Minister of the Interior of Ukraine. Her appointment drew a negative reaction from Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

During her tenure, Zguladze oversaw the establishment of a new-style patrol police force, with the first unit being formed in June 2015. She also played a key role in reforming Ukraine's police system.

Accolades and Recognition

In 2015, Zguladze was recognized as one of Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers for her work on addressing global challenges. She was included in the "Reform Commando" group, a team of foreign reformers who held key government positions in Ukraine from 2014-2016.

Personal Life

Zguladze had two marriages. Her first, at age 20, was to Georgian showman Giorgi Palavandishvili, which ended after 12 years. In 2011, she married French journalist and director Raphaël Glucksmann, the son of renowned philosopher and writer André Glucksmann. This marriage also ended in divorce, and Zguladze has a son named Alexander from her second union.