Officials Hail Arms Hand Over in Adjara

Deadline issued by the Georgian government for surrendering illegal arms in Adjara expired on May 16.

According to the Georgian Interior Ministry around 3,000 automatic rifles, 400 grenades and 50 grenade launchers have been surrendered since ex-Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze fled Georgia on May 6.

?The deadline has expired and now the law enforcers will use all the necessary measures, including police operation in order to seize illegal arms in the region,? Adjarian Interior Minister Davit Glonti said on May 16.

Earlier Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Baramidze said that the process of hand over was ?successful? adding that ?only minor number of illegal arms remains among the population.?