National Security Council to Discuss Situation in Adjara

Georgian National Security Council will hold an emergency session on May 2 in the wake of explosion of two major bridges connecting defiant Adjarian Autonomy with the rest of Georgia earlier on Sunday.

Two key bridges in Adjara – Choloki and Kakuti were blown at 1 pm local time, by the Adjarian authorities, hence destroying the only road links between the Autonomy and the rest of Georgia.

Interior Minister of Adjarian Autonomy Jemal Gogitidze explained that the bridges were blown up to prevent “expected incursion of the armed forces in Adjara.”

“A group of people [supporters of the central authorities] were coming in Adjara, behind them there were armed forces intending to break into Adjara. Thus we had to explode these bridges,” Jemal Gogitidze told Adjara TV.

Meanwhile, Georgian Defense Ministry wrapped up its major military exercises in Poti, some 30 km away from Adjarian Autonomy on May 2. Georgian elite troops, air forces and heavy armor, as well as navy forces participated in the three-day long maneuvers, which were attended on May 2 by President Saakashvili.

Georgian Defense Minister Gela Bezhuashvili denied that troops intended incursion in the defiant Autonomy; however he added “part of the troops would remain in Poti” after the maneuvers.