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Influential Governor Resigns
Governor of western Georgian region of Imereti Temur Shashiashvili resigned today in the wake of Eduard Shevardnadze’s resignation.“I can not cooperate with Saakashvili, Zhvania and Burjanadze,” he said. Temur Shashiashvili said that he might run for presidential elections, which should be held within 45 days. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
23/11/2003 - 23:07
Burjanadze Becomes Acting President
Nino Burjanadze, Chairperson of the outgoing Parliament becomes, an acting President of Georgia, became acting President, as Eduard Shevardnadze quit the post, amid mass protest rallies. According to the Georgian Constitution acting President has to hold new presidential election within 45 days after the President resigns.The power of the acting President is very limited. Acting …
Shevardnadze Resigned, Georgia Celebrates Bloodless Revolution
President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned as a result of bloodless revolution in Georgia. Shevardnadze resigned after talks with Mikheil Saakashvili and Zurab Zhvania, key opposition leaders, at 8:30 pm on November 23.“I am coming home,” Georgia’s ex-President Eduard Shevardnadze said after talks. When asked who will be the next president Shevardnadze replied: “It is not my …
Russian Foreign Minister Left for Adjara
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov left from Tbilisi for the capital of Adjara Autonomous Republic Batumi. Reportedly, he will hold meetings with the Adjarian leadership. In Tbilisi Igor Ivanov held meetings with the opposition leaders and President Shevardnadze. There are unofficial reports that Aslan Abashidze, Adjarian leader has already closed the borders of the Autonomous …
Saakashvili Meets Shevardnadze, Saakashvili Says Shevardnadze Prepares for Resignation
Mikheil Saakashvili arrived at Krtsanisi governmental residence to meet Eduard Shevardnadze. Saakashvili said that Shevardnadze will sign his resignation during the talks. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, who mediated today between the opposition leaders and Eduard Shevardnadze, also attends the talks.Around 60 thousand people demanding Shevardnadze resignation has already started celebration outside the Parliament building. …
Germany Calls for Peaceful Settlement of Political Crisis in Georgia
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer expressed concern over the political crisis in Georgia and called on all sides to search for peaceful and constitutional ways of crisis settlement. “The government and the opposition should do their best to avoid violence and search for democratic and legal solution of the existing problems in accordance with the …
Opposition Leaders Say Victory is Very Near
Opposition’s huge symbol hangs over the President’s office.Click on image to view other pictures.Thousands of protesters intend to march on Krtsanisi governmental residence at 8 pm, where Shevardnadze is reported to be at the moment.“Let’s give Shevardnadze 60 minutes to resign,” Mikheil Saakashvili, main opposition leader told the tens of thousands of protesters outside the Parliament. …
Tbilisi Police Chief Refuses to Obey Shevardnadze’s Orders
Chief of Tbilisi police Levan Maisuradze said today that he will not obey Shevardnadze and expressed readiness to cooperate with “acting President of Georgia Nino Burjanadze.”Earlier dozens of servicemen of the Gulua Special-Purpose Unit of the Interior Ministry joined the protesters.Reports say that Giorgi Shervashidze, commander of the internal troops, also refused to obey Shevardnadze’s …
Shevardnadze Dismissed National Security Council Chief
President Shevardnadze dismissed today Secretary of the National Security Council Tedo Japaridze. He was replaced by Anzor Baluashvili, Deputy State Minister. Earlier on November 23 Tedo Japaridze said the November 2 parliamentary elections were marred by “serious violations and irregularities.” Tedo Japaridze was Georgia’s ambassador in the United States before the appointment on the post of …
Labor Party Leader Supports Shevardnadze
Leader of the Labor Party Shalva Natelashvili says, “the former Parliamentary Chairperson cannot work as acting President, because she is not parliament’s speaker any more.”He evaluated the opposition’s rallies and take over the Parliament and President’s office, as an attempt of “changing the constitutional system by force.” “The Labor Party thinks that the Parliament building should …
Shevardnadze Wants Protesters to Withdraw from Parliament, State Chancellery
President Shevardnadze says he is ready for “talks, even for compromise with the opposition,” but only in case the opposition withdraws from the Parliament and the State Chancellery, which were taken over by the protesters on November 22. “I am ready for a dialogue and for making a compromise on condition that they [the protesters] …
Georgian Envoy in CoE Calls on Shevardnadze to Resign
Georgian Ambassador to the Council of Europe Lana Gogoberidze condemned the declaration of the state of emergency by President Shevardnadze. She said, the President should not permit bloodshed in the country and called on him to resign. Earlier today Levan Aleksidze, aide to Georgian President for the issues on international law, said from now on …
President’s Aide to Follow Burjanadze’s Orders
Levan Aleksidze, aide to Georgian President for the issues on international law, started to perform his duties in the State Chancellery of Georgia. However, as he said from now on he will obey Nino Burjanadze as an acting President. “If the President fails to perform his duties, the Parliamentary Chairperson becomes an acting president. Nino …
Saakashvili Calls Supporters to Seize Interior Ministry
Mikheil Saakashvili called supporters for march on Interior Ministry, as Eduard Shevardnadze intends to convince his loyalists, newly elected lawmakers in the Interior Ministry building.“Shevardnadze intends to convene Parliament in the Interior Ministry. So I urge to go to the Interior Ministry and seize the building. Another part of the protester should go to the …
Russian Foreign Minister Met Shevardnadze
After talks with the opposition leaders and surprise meeting with the protesters outside the Parliament, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov held talks with Eduard Shevardnadze in Krtsanisi governmental residence.However, neither Ivanov, nor Shevardnadze made comments after the meeting. Earlier today Igor Ivanov said while addressing the protesters outside the Parliament building that Russia will not …
Defense Minister: No Necessity of Use of Force Yet
Defense Minister Davit Tevzadze said “sate of emergency does not mean that the force will be used to restore order.”He said the President Shevardnadze, who announced state of emergency after the opposition supporters stormed the Parliament and the State Chancellery on November 22, did not ordered the troops to use force.“The army doesn’t consider it …
Protesters Surprised, as Russia Foreign Minister Addressed Rally
Opposition supporters outside the Parliament building met Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov with applause, as he surprisingly appeared at the rally early in the morning on November 23.He addressed the rally saying that Russia “tries to find way out of the current crisis in Georgia.” After the talks with the Russian Foreign Minister a key opposition …
OSCE Calls Georgians for Peace
The Netherlands Foreign Minister, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, in his capacity as both Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, today appealed to the Georgian people to remain peaceful in their search for a solution to the current political crisis.“I am hopeful that the current demonstrations …
Opposition Urges Supporters to Defend “Bloodless Revolution”
Protesters break into the Parliament.Click on image to view other picturesShevardnadze’s grip for power loosens as the opposition supporters hold the Parliament and the State Chancellery – two main governmental buildings in Georgia. No gun fire has been heard. No one was injured.Eduard Shevardnadze, who was led by his bodyguards out of the Parliament, after …
U.S. Comments on Recent Developments in Georgia
Below is the text of statement issued by the U.S. Department of State on November 22 regarding the current developments in Georgian capital Tbilisi: The United States is closely monitoring the troubling and rapidly developing situation in and around the parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia, where there have been confrontations between supporters and opponents of …
Russian Foreign Minister Visits Georgia
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, dispatched in Georgia by President Putin, arrived late on November 22 in Tbilisi. The opposition leaders Mikheil Saakashvili and Zurab Zhvania confirmed that the Russian embassy asked them to meet Igor Ivanov on November 23.Both Saakashvili and Zhvania expressed readiness for the talks. “We are ready to meet Mr. Ivanov. …
Putin Dispatched Russian Foreign Minister to Tbilisi
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to Tbilisi, President’s Spokesman Alexei Gromov said today. As Russian news agency ITAR-TASS reports, quoting Gromov, the Russian President is constantly briefed on the recent developments in Georgia and holds consultations with the heads of CIS member states. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) …
22/11/2003 - 22:38
Protesters Took Over President’s Office
After the storming the Parliament’s building, protesters entered into the State Chancellery – the President’s office, this evening. There were no security forces in the President’s office. No injuries were reported either during the storm of the Parliament, or during the breaking into the President’s office. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский …
Interior Minister Says State of Emergency Declared
Interior Minister Koba Narchemashvili said today, the state of emergency has been declared in the country and the relevant law will be adopted. Under the constitution of Georgia, the Parliament should ratify the presidential decree on the state of emergency within 48 hours. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
President Shevardnadze Intends to Declare State of Emergency
President Shevardnadze told reporters at 19 p.m. on November 22 that he intends to declare the state of emergency in order to restore order in the country. He said the country avoided bloodshed today. “I asked the Interior Minister not to open fire at the protesters and to avoid bloodshed in the country,” Shevardnadze said. …
Burjanadze to Lead Georgia until New Elections
Parliamentary Chairperson and opposition leader Nino Burjanadze said in her address to the Georgian nation, that she will perform the duties of the head of the state until new parliamentary elections are held in the country. She called on the members of the government to wait for her next instructions. This post is also available in: …
Opposition Calls on Protesters for Order and Calmness
Opposition leader Nino Burjanadze called on the protesters to maintain calmness and order to avoid bloodshed in the country. “We have gained the victory today. The world should see that Georgia will never live under conditions of dictatorship. Now everything depends on us. We should secure order to avoid any provocations and bloodshed in the …
Opposition Breaks into Parliament Building
Tens of thousands of protestors chanting “resign, resign!” marched from the State Chancellery towards the Parliament building, where the first session of the new Parliament was being held. The opposition leaders managed to break into the session hall, where President Shevardnadze was making a speech. President’s security helped Shevardnadze out of the hall. Presently the …
New Parliament Session Convened
Amid the tension outside in the streets of Tbilisi, the Georgian President declared the first session of the new Parliament opened. He congratulated the MPs on the beginning of the work and wished them success. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of protesters are rallying in front of the State Chancellery, demanding President Shevardnadze’s resignation. This post …
New Rights Boycott Parliament
The New Rights party announced on November 22 that it will boycott the new Parliament and do not take seats in it. As the statement issued by the New Rights party on November 22 reads, the party held consultations with both opposition and pro-governmental sides to reach a compromise for holding early parliamentary and presidential …
Protesters Marched towards State Chancellery, as Shevardnadze did not Appear
Tens of thousands of protesters marched towards the State Chancellery, demanding Shevardnadze’s resignation. A term of ultimatum set by the protesters to President Shevardnadze has expired. The President did not come out to the people and still remains in the Parliament building. The first session of the new Parliament is scheduled for 4 p.m. and …
Protesters Set Ultimatum to Shevardnadze
Opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili today set ultimatum to President Shevardnadze, urging him to come out to the people within an hour. “Otherwise, we will come to him,” Mikheil Saakashvili said at the rally. Tens of thousands of protesters are currently rallying in the center of Tbilisi, demanding Shevardnadze’s resignation. This post is also available in: …
Shevardnadze: New Parliament will Be Convened
President Shevardnadze said today that the November 2 parliamentary elections were held with irregularities; however the new Parliament will be convened anyway. President Shevardnadze held a news briefing in the Parliament building. He intends to attend the first session of the Parliament which is scheduled to start at 4 pm today. Meanwhile tens of thousands …
Thousands Rally for “Bloodless Revolution”
Shevardnadze’s Grip on Power Loosens, as Allies Step Back Click on image to view other pictures. Around 25 thousand of protesters gathered today on Freedom Square, just couple of hundred meters away from the President’s office to demand Shevardnadze’s resignation. Mikheil Saakashvili, a key opposition leader, called supporters for “peaceful, democratic and bloodless revolution.”Couple of …
UN Urges Restraint amid Georgia’s Political Tensions
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on the political leaders of Georgia to do their utmost to peacefully resolve the country’s current tensions. The statement issued in New York on November 21 reads, that the Secretary-General “has been following with interest and concerns” developments in Georgia since it staged parliamentary elections on 2 November. The …
U.S. Calls for Peaceful Resolution of Crisis
U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said at a news briefing on November 21 that all the parties should work together peacefully to find a solution credible to Georgia’s voters.“We think that what is in the best interest of Georgia is for the government and opposition to work together to resolve the differences and …
U.S. Disappointed with Georgia Elections
The Unites States Department of State issues a statement on November 21 saying November 2 parliamentary elections “failed to meet the commitments made by the Georgian leadership.” Below is a text of statement:The United States is deeply disappointed in the conduct of Georgia’s November 2 Parliamentary elections, which failed to meet the commitments made by …
Russia Calls Georgia for Calm
Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on November 21 urging the Georgian authorities and the opposition to restrain from using force.Russia urged all sides to abide by the law. “The alternative can only be chaos dragging the country once again up to the abyss of civil war,” a Russian Foreign Ministry statement said.The statement reads …
Labor Party Boycotts Parliament
Leader of the Labor Party Shalva Natelashvili announced on November 21 that his party will not take seats in the new Parliament. He said that the Labor Party does not intend enter the Parliament, when thousands of Georgian citizens are protesting against the new Parliament. He said that the current political crisis is a result …
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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)