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| Abashidze wants his bank back |
Abashidze told Adjarian television on April 11 that distribution of powers between the central government and Autonomy would top the agenda.
In February, Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) Walter Schwimmer proposed to draft the law that would define the powers of the autonomy and offered the CoE expertise. Last week Schwimmer’s representative in Georgia Plamen Nikolov visited Batumi and held talks with Aslan Abashidze.
On the eve of the talks, Aslan Abashidze demanded from the central authorities to resume operations of the Batumi-based Maritime Bank.
The Maritime Bank’s licence was withdrawn after the Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office accused the bank of money laundering on behalf of the Adjarian leadership. Abashidze’s government used the Maritime Bank for all of its transactions. Officials of Georgia’s Central Bank say once the licence is withdrawn the bank’s operations can not be resumed.
“Central authorities advised us to file a lawsuit in the court regarding the case. I told them [central authorities] that this is not a case for the court, as restoration of license is up to National Bank. However, we will file a lawsuit as we were told,” Abashidze said.
Meanwhile, Adjarian opposition mounts pressure on Abashidze. The opposition activists collect the signatures of Adjaraians calling for early elections to Autonomy’s legislative body – the Supreme Council.
“Our only demand is for Abashidze to resign and for the early elections to be held [in Adjara]. Even if Abashidze and Zhvania will reach an agreement, we will keep insisting on our demands, because Abashidze’s regime is illegal and he must resign,” Koba Khabazi, leader of the Our Adjara opposition movement told Civil Georgia on April 12.
President Saakashvili has already threatened to disband the Supreme Council if Abashidze refuses to disarm his paramilitary forces. It is expected that this issue would be among the most difficult ones to crack for the prime minister.
Saakashvili said “Abashidze has spent $50 million to arm his supporters.”
“Abashidze has two more years left in office. If he wants to retain a position [of the Head of Adjarian Autonomy] he must surrender illegal arms,” Saakashvili said.
On March 18 Saakashvili and Abashidze reached an agreement, which included disarming of the paramilitary forces, but no progress was made.
As the war of words between Tbilisi and Batumi continues, prospects of prime minister’s mission look dim.
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