15:57, 22 February 2008

Opposition of Georgia gives up hunger strike

The united opposition of Georgia has refused to start a hunger strike, as presidential candidate Levan Gachechiladze has announced to the Georgian Parliament:

"We have received firm guarantees that on February 26 a new director will be appointed to the Georgian Public TV, before March 15 a news chairman will be appointed to the Central Electoral Commission, and all the detainees in connection with the action on November 7 will be released. It was a hard decision for us; it was achieved after negotiations with Nino Burdzanadze, who has assured us that all our demands will be observed. Although there were dissenting opinions inside our movement, I made this decision, once again having believed in the prudence of the authorities."

He has expressed confidence that should the authorities follow their promises and fulfil the demands of the opposition, Georgia for the first time will have free parliamentary elections, and this will be the way to peacefully remove the present power, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Author: Alena Aleschenko, CK correspondent