Tbilisi/Moscow  - Four months after the war in Georgia, Georgia's Prime Minister Grigol Mgaloblishvili continued to award key portfolios in his cabinet Tuesday.

Georgia's former ambassador to the US, David Sicharulidse, was going to head the country's Defence Ministry, while Lasha Shvania, another diplomat, would be economics minister, the prime minister was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.

The appointments followed the dismissals of Eka Tkeshelashvili as foreign minister and David Keserashvili as defence minister.

Mgaloblishvili had been appointed prime minister on October 27 after Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili - under pressure following the failed August war with Russia over South Ossetia - said Georgia needed "radical democratic reform."

Meanwhile, the opposition Republicans and the New Right party, joined forces in an alliance demanding early presidential and parliamentary elections for spring 2009.

The alliance is due to be headed by Georgia's former ambassador to the UN, Irakli Alassania, who enjoys wide political support in Georgia.

Oxford-educated Mgaloblishvili, 35, was ambassador to Turkey before being made prime minister last month, replacing Lado Gurgenidze, 37, a former banker. (dpa)