Suva: Fiji's acting President Ratu Epeli
Nailatikau will be formally confirmed as head of state next
week, Fiji's military regime said on Thursday.
The Fiji Sun newspaper today quoted military leader
Voreqe Bainimarama as saying the regime had appointed
Nailatikau earlier this week and confirmation would come after
a cabinet meeting next week.
"We will have everything discussed in our next cabinet
meeting," said Bainimarama, who toppled the elected government
in a 2006 coup.
The appointment was confirmed today by regime spokesman
Neumi Leweni who said the cabinet would decide when the
official swearing in would take place.
Nailatikau, a former army commander credited with guiding
Bainimarama through his military career, was appointed as
acting president after previous president Ratu Josefa Iloilo
retired at the end of July.
Nailatikau had been appointed vice president in April, a
week after Bainimarama repealed the constitution, sacked the
judiciary and introduced emergency regulations including press
censorship.
The largely ceremonial positions of president and vice
president were traditionally appointed by Fiji's traditional
Great Council of Chiefs, which were sidelined by Bainimarama
since soon after the coup.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, October 29, 2009, 16:02