Interim Council Set Up in Adjara

20-member Interim Council was set up on May 7 to run the Adjarian Autonomy before the fresh local elections in Adjara. Local legislative body of Adjara was dissolved on the same day.

Chief of the state-run Railway Company Levan Varshalomidze chairs the Council, which directly subordinates to President Saakashvili. Tbilisi has already imposed direct presidential rule in Adjara.

Leaders of the Our Adjara movement, which was a major opposition force against Abashidze’s regime, were also included in the Council – Koba Khabazi, Tamaz Diasamidze and Edward Surmanidze.

The Interim Council will be a main governance body in Adjara within 5-6 weeks. Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said that early elections in Adjara will be held by June.