MP Wants ‘U.S. Patriot Act-style’ Law in Georgia

MP Nika Gvaramia from the ruling National Movement party said on July 29 that he plans to initiate a new draft law that will be “directed against extremism, including political extremism, and which will be directed against treacherous statements.”

“I will definitely propose that the Parliamentary Committee for Legal Affairs develop a legislature similar to the one which is in the United States, I mean the Patriot Act… which will be directed against treacherous statements against the motherland. I mean the statements similar to those made by Shalva Natelashvili [leader of the opposition Labor Party], who called on the government forces to surrender to traitor [rebel warlord Emzar] Kvitsiani’s gangs,” MP Gvaramia said.

The authorities have criticized most of the opposition parties for “a failure to show their support towards the state in a difficult time” when rebel warlord Emzar Kvitsiani announced his defiance towards the central authorities.

The seven opposition parties – Conservative, New Rights, Republican, Labor, Freedom, Industrialists, and People’s Forum – condemned Kvitsiani’s defiance, but called on the authorities to refrain from using force in Kodori Gorge, where Kvitsiani’s militia was based.

But on July 28 most of these parties hailed the police operation that was carried out in Kodori Gorge for being concluded promptly and with minimal casualties. One civilian died in a shootout and reportedly at least four servicemen were injured. No information is available about casualties among rebel militia members.

However, leader of Freedom Party Konstantine Gamsakhurdia remained on a hard-line stance and even slammed those opposition parties that have not condemned the police operation in Kodori gorge.

Unlike other opposition politicians, the leader of the opposition Georgia’s Way party Salome Zourabichvili hailed the authorities’ move to crack down on rebel militias.

“Salome Zourabichvili was the only opposition leader, who has assessed developments adequately,” MP from the ruling party Nika Gvaramia said on July 29.

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