14:12, 24 November 2003

Adjarian leader introduced state of emergency

Head of the Adjarian Autonomous Republic (forming a part of Georgia) Aslan Abashidze declared at an extraordinary session of the republican parliament in Batumi that he introduced the state of emergency on the territory of the autonomy. He informed deputies he had signed an appropriate order.

Imedi TV Company reported Aslan Abashidze motivated his decision on the introduction of the state of emergency by the fact that the autonomy's authorities gained information armed units were possible to be brought into Adjaria against a background of developments in Georgia.

If the opposition use force, "there is a task to stop these people and it will be completed," noted Abashidze. "We do not want the force equal to Fascism or Bolshevism to come to power. These people are already threatening everybody without shame," stressed the leader of Adjaria.

Source: RosBusinessConsulting News Agency