Abashidze Shows No Signs of Stepping Down

Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze dismissed reports regarding his intentions to flee Adjara as “disinformation.”

“Secretary of the Russian National Security Council Sergei Ivanov will arrive in Batumi and we will discuss who to solve the current crisis in Adjara,” Aslan Abashidze told Adjara TV, while thousands of protesters are rallying in Batumi demanding his resignation.

“We should avoid bloodshed,” he added.

President Saakashvili said a shortly before the Abashidze’s comments that he asked Russian President Putin, with whom Saakashvili talked twice on May 5, to grant Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze political asylum after he resigns.

“Several hours are left before the final victory,” Mikheil Saakashvili added as a hint that Abashidze is ready for resignation.

However, in his comments to the Adjara TV Aslan Abashidze showed no sights that he intends to step down.