minister, Merabishvili presided over police reform and a crackdown on criminal bosses, the so-called "thieves in law", winning praise from many international institutions and observers. Critics have accused the Interior Ministry of using excessive force and heavy-handed tactics in several cases, including against opposition protesters in 2007 and 2010. Merabishvili has denied these allegations. In 2006, a controversy surrounding the murder of Sandro Girgvliani, a 28-year-old commercial bank employee, had a significant political fallout and was at the forefront of several opposition attempts to force Merabishvili to resign. Girgvliani's family accused interior ministry officials of murdering Sandro after he insulted them and Tako Salaqaia, Merabishvili's wife, during an argument in a café. The court case resulted in the conviction of four lower-level ministry officials, but the case was heavily criticized by several independent observers and opposition parties who claimed a cover up. Merabishvili himself accused the opposition parties of trying to use the Girgvliani murder case "for their political interests" and declared that he did not plan to resign. By late 2008, Merabishvili had become one of the most influential figures in the government of Georgia. The Interior Ministry enlarged its responsibilities, taking greater control of border police and was designated by President Saakashvili to oversee distribution of the substantial international assistance for Georgians displaced in the August conflict with Russia. In a March 2009 interview with Rustavi 2 TV, Merabishvili said the assumption that he was the most powerful figure in Saakashvili's administration was "over-exaggerated", yet confirmed that in some cases the President had given him broader tasks. In December 2011, Merabishvili's achievements as a Minister of Internal Affairs were praised by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a multi-billionaire businessman, who came into Georgian politics with the intent to challenge the government in the October 2012 parliamentary election. Ivanishvili called on Merabishvili to convince President Saakashvili to step down. Merabishvili later said he did not consider Ivanishvili to have been the government's "serious rival". Prime Minister On June 30, 2012, President Saakashvili named Merabishvili as the country's Prime Minister, replacing Nika Gilauri. This decision was made a few months before the October parliamentary elections. Merabishvili said his program would be focused on the three key priorities: employment, agriculture development and availability of healthcare. He was approved by the Parliament of Georgia on July 4, 2012. The Lopota incident, which began on August 28th, 2012, became a focal point for Merabishvili's handling of