Georgian Opposition's New Demands
The Georgian opposition began new actions over the weekend and yesterday began a hunger strike. It is demanding that Georgia make a decisive response to Russia's announcement that it is renewing intergovernmental relations with Abkhazia. Tbilisi, however, is refraining from sharp reactions in anticipation of the NATO summit in Bucharest, where it hopes to begin the membership action plan. In addition to its previous demands, the opposition now wants election reform, Georgia's withdrawal from the CIS and Russian peacekeepers' withdrawal from the conflict zones within the country.
Demonstrators closed Rustaveli Prospect on Sunday. On Monday, opposition leaders declared a hunger strike in front of the parliament. On Tuesday, the hunger strike was taken up by several dozen people, who are huddle on the parliament steps under blankets. Over them hangs a banner reading “Georgia without Saakashvili.” Authorities have warned that he demonstrators will be dispersed if they undertake illegal actions.
Inside the parliament, six members of the New Right faction, including its leader David Gamkrelidze, have declared hunger strikes in speaker Nino Burjanadze's waiting room. Burjanadze has not allowed cots or blankets to be brought in to them, but they cannot be expelled from her administrative space because it would be a violation of their immunity. Therefore, they sit in chairs and loudly chant “Go away.” There were fights during the parliamentary session yesterday and thousands of opposition demonstrators surrounded the building.
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All the Article in Russian as of Mar. 12, 2008
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