Wide Protests Demanding Peacekeepers’

(Tbilisi, January 25, Civil Georgia) – Protest rallies are being held in Samegrelo region (western part of Georgia) , demanding Russian peacekeeping troops’ withdrawal from the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone.

The local population blocked the central highway and the railway. They also demand that State Security Council session be called, which will annul the protocol signed by Georgian and Abkhazian sides in Chuburkhinji on January 17.

According to the agreement, troops of Georgian Defense Ministry should be pulled out of Kodori Gorge, the only part of Abkhazia controlled by Georgian government.

A meeting was held in front of the Parliament building on January 25, 2002 as well with the same demands.

The protest continues at Enguri river, which began on January 19 with the initiative of Georgian partisans and those displaced from Abkhazia.

Chairman of the Tbilisi-based Supreme Council of Abkhazia Tamaz Nadareishvili is to make a speech at the special parliamentary session on January 25. He will inform the MPs about the demands of protesters gathered at Enguri river, linkign breakaway Abkhazia with the rest of the Georgia.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)