Tensions Grow, as Abashidze Shows no Signs of Backing Down

The President Addresses Adjarians

Explosion of key bridges linking Adjara to the rest of Georgia on May 2 re-escalated tensions between Tbilisi and Batumi.

Georgian Parliament demanded from defiant Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze to resign after his security forces broke up a protest rally in Batumi on May 4, injuring dozens of peaceful protesters. Meanwhile President Saakashvili accused Aslan Abashidze of trying “to separate” Adjara from the rest of Georgia. 
 
Mikheil Saakashvili, who has given Abashidze a deadline until May 12 to disarm the region’s militias or have his government dissolved, made a televised address to the troops still loyal to Abashidze on May 4 and called them to detect “Adjara’s criminal regime.”

He accused Abashidze of attempts “to separate Adjara from the rest of Georgia and trigger hostilities in the region.”

“I want to say, that we have no problems with the Adjara Autonomous Republic and the people living there, we have problems with one man – Aslan Abashidze,” President Saakashvili said.

He said that Russian retired Maj. Gen. Yuri Netkachov, who serves as a military advisor to Abashidze since 1999, “has mined adjacent areas of the oil terminal” in Batumi.

“Netkachov has also mined a bridge connecting Kobuleti [Adjara’s second major town] with Batumi to prevent protesters from Kobuleti to arrive in Batumi,” he added.

Georgian Security Ministry alleged on May 3, that a plan to destroy three key bridges linking Adjara to the rest of Georgia on May 2 were elaborated and carried out under the command of the retired Russian Maj. Gen. Yuri Netkachev.

President Saakashvili vowed that he, in cooperation with the Parliament and government, would “do outmost” to solve the crisis. “I will not leave you alone in time of trouble,” Saakashvili said addressing to the Adjarian population.

He also reiterated once again that Georgia’s central authorities do not plan to cancel Adjara’s autonomous status. 

“I also want to appeal to the leaders of Muslim community in Adjara. We respect Muslim religion and we have nothing against you,” Mikheil Saakashvili said, addressing a Muslim population of Adjara.

Mikheil Saakashvili called for cautious and said that the government will take “very careful steps” to find solution of the problem.

More Protests Anticipated

Security forces of Aslan Abashidze used a water cannon and truncheons to disband separate groups of protesters trying to pave their way towards the Batumi University, where several hundred of students and teachers were rallying demanding Aslan Abashidze’s resignation.

Abashidze’s major opposition Our Adjara movement reported that around 50 protesters were injured – 13 of them have been hospitalized. The office of Our Adjara movement in Batumi has been violently raided.  

“I have personally seen at least 8 school teachers in the Batumi hospital, who were severely beaten up by the security forces at the rally. But there are more injured protesters,” Evgeni Tavdgiridze, a Batumi-based correspondent of RFE/RL told Civil Georgia.

“The local police did not participate in the attacks against the protesters. Basically, so called special purpose unit [elite troops of Aslan Abashidze] were used to break up rally,” one of the protesters told Civil Georgia.

President Saakashvili hailed “courage” of protesters; however said that the rallies were “spontaneous.”

“Adjarian people demonstrated a huge courage today. These were spontaneous and unorganized protest rallies. If we are more organized and united this criminal regime [of the Autonomy] will not be able to defeat us,” Mikheil Saakashvili added.

A simultaneous protest rally was disbanded in Adjara’s second larges town of Kobuleti with water cannon. Local observers say that the protests would further increase in Adjara.

“Discontent of the local population increases every day. Especially in Kobuleti, since the major income of locals totally depends on holiday-makers, who visit Adjara’s sea coast in summer. But the current situation in Adjara makes the arrival of holiday-makers absolutely unbelievable,” Evgeni Tavdgiridze says.
 
He also said that the students and opposition activists are planning large-scale rallies in Batumi. “It seems that the local population is not afraid of force used by the local authorities,” Evgeni Tavdgiridze added.
 
On May 4 Georgian lawmakers unanimously adopted a harsh statement over the recent developments in Adjara and demanded from Aslan Abashidze “unconditional resignation,” in the wake of break up of rally in Batumi.

“The Parliament is ready to support President Saakashvili’s proposal over holding of snap elections [of local parliament] in Adjarian Autonomous Republic,” the Parliament’s statement reads.

“If holding of the democratic elections in Adjara are hindered, the Parliament calls the President to use all the constitutional measures in order to restore rule of law in Adjarian Autonomy,” the Parliament’s statement reads.

Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said at the session, “we do not want war, but we will never tolerate beating up of our citizens,” referring to disbanding of protest rally in Batumi. 

International Reaction

The United States has condemned Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze and accused him of “trying to provoke military crisis with Georgia’s newly democratically elected leadership.”

“We’re deeply concerned about Adjarian leader Abashidze’s decision to destroy two bridges that link Adjara and other parts of Georgia … Abashidze’s actions lead us to question his commitment to serving the people of Adjara,” Richard Boucher, a spokesman of the U.S. Department of State said at a news briefing in Washington on May 3.

Georgian Prime Minster Zurab Zhvania spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul by phone on May 4 and informed with recent developments in Adjara, according to the Anadolu agency.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the same day expressing hope that “the parties involved will act with cool heads and caution so that current events do not move in an undesired direction.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman called upon Tbilisi once again on May 4 to refrain from “using force against Adjara.”

The U.S. official also said that Washington is in frequent talks with Moscow, over the situation in Adjara. Richard Boucher said that the U.S. always tries to encourage Russia, which has a military bases in Batumi, “to take steps to calm the situation and to keep Mr. Abashidze from provoking military confrontation.”