Fiji's interim prime minister has announced that the country's president, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, will retire at the end of next month.
Commodore Frank Bainimara made the announcement at a press conference this afternoon.
Our correspondent, Matelita Ragogo, attended the conference.
"The interim prime minister announced that his presidency Ratu Josefa Iloilo was going on leave for one month. His leave begins on July 30th. When he gets back it would be a handover process because he will come back and hand over his presidency by then and a new president should be appointed because he's retiring. The appointment of a new president will be made by the Chief Justice, rather than the Great Council of Chiefs which formerly appointed the President. Cabinet will forward a name to the Chief Justice, Anthony Gates, who was also appointed by the regime. He will then make a nomination for the new President. In the meantime, the recently appointed vice president, and former Minister in the interim regime, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, will act as President until a new appointment has been made."
Matelita Ragogo
