Georgia's PM Vladimir 'Lado' Gurgenidze attends the 'Georgia Donors' Conference held at the EU Charlemagne building in Brussels, (File photo - 22 Oct 2008)

Reports from Georgia say President Mikheil Saakashvili has fired reformist Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze.

News agency reports quote senior Georgian officials as saying Georgia's ambassador to Turkey, Grigol Mgalobishvili, will replace the prime minister.  An official statement is expected later Monday.

Mr. Gurgenidze, a 37-year-old technocrat and former banker, became prime minister late last year, with the primary task of attracting foreign investment and maintaining a high rate of economic growth.

A five-day military conflict with Russia in August has since eroded investor confidence and slowed what otherwise was widely seen as a healthy economy.

Mr. Gurgenidze visited Washington earlier this month, holding talks with U.S. National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.