Central Authorities Remain Cautious over Abashidze’s Radical Moves
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| State of emergency reimposed in Adjara. |
President-elect Mikheil Saakashvili, who previously warned Aslan Abashidze for several times to avoid illegal moves, made no public statement yet regarding the situation in the Autonomous Republic and prefers to keep cautious towards Adjara.
During the recent days, the Kmara movement started posting of banners in the streets of the Adjarian capital of Batumi with the slogans “Enough to Abashidze’s Dictatorship.” Kmara movement launched early in 2003 its campaign against Shevardnadze with the similar measures and last November was actively engaged in the protest rallies in Tbilisi to ouster Eduard Shevardnadze.
The move triggered the crackdown on Kmara movement in Adjara. However, the Adjarian Interior Ministry ruled out political repressions on the opponents. The Adjarian officials say police has found a cache of illegal weapons, drugs and counterfeit U.S. dollars in the apartments of the alleged Kmara activists.
Levan Chkhartishvili and his father Romeo Chkhartishvili, Irakli Khazhomia and his father Merab Khazhomia are currently under arrest, which human rights activists claim is illegal. The Batumi court has already sentenced two of them with three-month pre-trial detention. Georgian media reported on January 9, that three more activists of Kmara movement were detained in Batumi.
Kmara issued a statement on January 8, in which it demanded the Adjarian authorities to immediately release its activists. Kmara also called on the Georgian central government and international community to react “to this act of violation of human rights by the authorities of the Adjara Autonomous Republic.”
The representatives of the newly created public movement Our Adjara, which aims at promoting civil rights in the region, also expressed protest regarding the recent arrests in Adjara.
“We do not want to overthrow the Adjarian authorities by street rallies, as it happened in Tbilisi [last November]. Abashidze is not Shevardnadze [ex-President]. The power transition in Adjara should take place through democratic elections. However, Abashidze aggravates the situation by arresting people and pursuing his dictatorial policy. That may trigger a revolution,” Tamaz Diasamidze, one of the founders of the public movement Our Adjara told Civil Georgia.
As observers say, by the radical moves Aslan Abashidze is further increasing tensions in the region that might lead to increase of popular protest in Adjara.
“By arresting the young people, Abashidze aggravates the situation and causes people’s anxiety. However, if people go out in the streets, Abashidze is ready for very radical steps and violence. He also pins hopes on his ally – Russia. He should understand that with this kind of politics he plays with fire,” political analyst Paata Zakareishvili told Civil Georgia.
However, it is actually impossible to hold protest rallies in Batumi presently, as the state of emergency has been re-imposed in the region on January 7. Aslan Abashidze declared state of emergency in Adjara during the November velvet revolution, but withdrew it shortly before January 4 presidential election.
Tamaz Diasamidze of the public movement Our Adjara, appealed to the Georgian Constitutional Court claiming that enforcement of the state of emergency in Adjara was illegal.
MP Vakhtang Khmaladze, who was actively engaged in development of the Georgian Constitution, explains, “under the constitution, only the president of Georgia, with parliamentary approval, has the right to impose a state of emergency.”
“Although Aslan Abashidze took this move in accordance with the Constitution of Adjara, still this is illegal, since there is no real ground for it. The authorities should have reacted on all these irregularities earlier,” MP Vakhtang Khmaladze told Civil Georgia.
The court hearing appointed for January 8 was postponed to January 14, as the Constitutional Court expects to receive the new decree of the Adjara Autonomous Republic over re-imposing the state of emergency in the region.
The representatives of the new authorities have made only short condemning comments regarding the recent developments in Adjara.
“If these young people are really arrested because of expressing their position, certainly this is inadmissible,” Interim President Nino Burjanadze said at a news briefing on January 9.
State Minister Zurab Zhvania said on January 7, “everybody should realize that Georgia is not a country any more where illegal arrests of the human rights activists and those with different position will be permitted.”
“It is not worth aggravating the political situation by making comments,” Interior Minister Giorgi Baramidze said on January 8.
During his televised address to nation on January 8, President-elect Mikheil Saakashvili made no comments regarding the situation in Adjara at all.
The central government’s stance towards the Adjarian leader has already triggered speculations among the critics of the new authorities that they decided to keep silence, as they prefer not to make troubles with the Adjarian leader on the eve of the parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for March 28.
Consent of Aslan Abashidze’s party Revival Union to hold the repeat parliamentary polls on March 28 was a surprise as Abashidze demanded to postpone elections until June. Central and Adjarian authorities’ cooperation over the elections further increased speculations over the covert deal between them.
However, some commentators suggest that the central authorities wait for January 25 when the presidential inauguration will held and President-election Mikheil Saakashvili will be officially announced as a new leader of the country.
“The authorities seem to refrain from drastic measures regarding Adjara and keep cautious to avoid further escalation of tensions,” political analyst Paata Zakareishvili says.
Observers say that the Shevardnadze’s policy of turning a blind eye on developments in Adjara, has led to the increase of Abashidze’s power in the region, which turned into his unilateral rule in the Autonomous Republic.
“We warn the new leadership of the country, no compromise is admissible regarding this person [Abashidze]. His political rehabilitation is impossible. If they [new authorities] try to cooperate with him and make a compromise, they will become his [Abashidze’s] victims,” Tamaz Diasamidze said.
Commentators say that the developments in Adjara would largely depend on Russia, which maintains its military presence in Batumi.
“Georgia’s new authorities are quite possible to make a deal with Russia to overthrow Abashidze’s regime, which is a real headache for Tbilisi. Russia is the only foothold for Abashidze. However, Russia itself needs Abashidze to keep its military bases in Batumi. It is quite possible that Russia will have a chance to keep its bases in Batumi in exchange to cease support to Abashidze,” Paata Zakareishvili says.