Tbilisi, Batumi up ante in War of Words

In the wake of President Saakashvili?s demand to cancel the Adjara Autonomous Republic?s Security Ministry, Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania also reiterated that the Adjarian leadership should obey central authorities? orders.

However, Adjarian Interior Minister Jemal Gogitidze told Rustavi 2 television later on March 8 that the central authorities have no right to cancel Adjara?s ministries and it infringes Autonomous Republic?s rights.

?The central authorities fail to fulfill its promises to improve social conditions of the citizens. That is why they [central authorities] try to heat up tensions and draw attention on this kind of thinks,? Jemal Gogitidze said.

President Saakashvili also demanded from the regional authorities to investigate the recent violent attack on Rustavi 2 reporters in Adjara. Vakhtang Komakhidze, journalist working for the Rustavi 2 television, was severely beaten up on March 5.

Komakhidze accused local police and security officials of attacking him.

?We investigate the incident and the society will know the true story soon. We have information, which is not confirmed yet, that Komakhidze worked for foreign intelligence service and he was spying in Adjara,? Jemal Gogitidze, the Interior Minister of Adjara Autonomous Republic said.

However, Komakhidze claims an assault was linked to his journalistic assignment to investigate illegal dealings of Abashidze and his family.

?I found out that around 40 relatives of Abashidze are on high [official] positions in Adjara and they accumulated huge wealth,? Vakhtang Komakhidze told Rustavi 2.

Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania who visited Komakhidze in Tbilisi hospital on March 8 said the attack on journalist was ?inhuman and inadmissible.? He also demanded from the Adjarian authorities to investigate the case as soon as possible.