Ruling party on Saakashvili's meeting with Pinchuk: No comment

სააკაშვილ-პინჩუკის შეხვედრაზე მმართველი პარტია კომენტარს არ აკეთებს

Tamta Karchava

[This is a translation of an article published in Georgian daily "Resonance" (Rezonansi) on July 4; I have not been able to find an online edition of this article. If I do, I will provide a link to it.]

Nino Burjanadze's meeting with Viktor Pinchuk, son-in-law of former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, is in the news again. The authorities claim that Burjanadze sought funding from Pinchuk for large-scale protests. Burjanadze has denied the accusation and is saying that a few months ago, Pinchuk invited Saakashvili to a Paul McCartney concert in Kiev, and that the President of Georgia accepted his offer.

Neither the President's administration nor Parliament has made any comment on Saakashvili's stay at Pinchuk's home. Member of the ruling party Murtaz Zodelava did not even wish to speak with us on the matter.

Zurab Melikishvili, one of the leaders of the ruling party, offers this piece of advice to Burjanadze: tell the public about this secret meeting, which the ex-Speaker of Parliament [i.e. Burjanadze] says was a "personal meeting."

"It would be better for Mrs. Burjanadze to tell the public about this meeting, which she says was a 'personal meeting.' She needs to explain why she is having secret meetings with a person like this--someone that is directly linked to Russian money which was used by Russia in it's war against Georgia last August, and which is still being used against Georgia today. It would be good if she explained similar meetings.

Resonance: Burjanadze says a few months ago, Saakashvili was a personal guest at Pinchuk's home.

Zurab Melikishvili: Aren't I the one giving the interview...

R: Was or was not Saakashvili a guest of Pinchuk?

Z.M.: Fine. Whatever you have asked, I have already answered.

R: Isn't this a question? Was or was not Saakashvili at his home?

At this point, Zurab Melikishvili hung up the phone. Ukrainian news outlets broke the story of Burjanadze's and Pinchuk's meeting on July 1. The meeting took place on June 29. It should be noted that Pinchuk, who is known to be a friend of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, has made several strategic acquisitions in Georgia.

"Saakashvili considered it a great honor to be a guest of this man. A few months ago he was a personal guest. If there were something unacceptable in this man, then why did he hurry to accept the invitation to the Paul McCartney concert in Kiev? If this man associates with criminals, then why was he [Saakashvili] at his home? He [Pinchuk] is a very honorable person, who commands great authority not only in Kiev, but also in the West," noted Nino Burjanadze in a conversation with Resonance last Thursday.

Arrests and extreme forms of protest in Georgia: situation beginning to get out of hand

Аресты и крайние формы протеста в Грузии: ситуация начинает выходить из-под контроля

Opposition protesters are demonstrating before the building of the Georgian Parliament. The decision to move the protests to Rustaveli Avenue was made by leaders of the opposition after their supporters were forced to flee from the main office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Tbilisi.

Of those protesters, as deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Eka Zguladze, stated, 39 were arrested by the police. Zguladze remarked that the police did not intend on resorting to force, but that police recognized many faces of those that had participated in the attack on deputies near the Parliament building on June 12. Attempts to arrest them, however, were met by resistance.

Meanwhile, several memberes of the opposition movement have begun extreme forms of protest. According to an IA Regnum correspondent, one of the protesters demonstrating before Parliament is Abkhazian refugee Ramaz Aroniya, who has sewn his mouth and eyes shut. He is trying to draw attention to the authorities' unwillingness to see what they have done to Georgia, and to condemn law enforcement for suppression of freedom of speech. One Opposition supporter has promised to sew his ears shut, should his protests go unheard by Mikheil Saakashvili.

Saakashvili to govern Georgia from Adjara

Саакашвили намерен править Грузией из Аджарии

Due to ongoing opposition protests, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has been forced to relocate his residence. Currently, the the President of Georgia is 400 kilometers west of Tbilisi in Adjara. Saakashvili's residence in Tbilisi has been surrounded by opposition protesters.

Since April 9, the Georgian opposition has been conducting protests, calling for the resignation of the president. Recently, there was a meeting between Saakashvili and and one of the opposition leaders, Levan Gachechiladze. However, according to the opposition, the meeting did not lead to any favorable developments.

Opposition activists assault Georgian Speaker of Parliament with sticks and stones

Оппозиционеры атаковали машину спикера парламента Грузии с камнями и палками

Radical opposition activists today assaulted a car in which Georgian Speaker of Parliament David Bakradze was riding. Following the end of the day's parliamentary session, Bakradze left the building and found dozens of opposition activists surrounding his car. According to an IA Regnum correspondent, they began throwing sticks and stones at the speaker's car. Many were shouting "Shame," in a sign of protest against the first session of parliament held since the parliamentary recess began two months ago. Parliament security guards intervened and were able to secure a way out for the speaker, however, they themselves suffered many blows.

Mass arrests of opposition activists underway in Georgia

В Грузии идут массовые аресты оппозиционных активистов

Today, eleven opposition activists were arrested in Georgia, including ten members of ex-Speaker of Parliament, Nino Burjanadze's party "Democratic Movement--United Georgia", and also one member of the Republican party. They have all been accused of the illegal purchase and possession of weapons.

Responding to the news of the arrest of her supporters, Nino Burjanadze raised a loud cry of protest, saying that "this is a struggle between an authoritarian regime and political opponents." "The unfair and groundless arrests of persons will lead to sense of impunity in the country, and will most definitely be met by civil opposition. The signs are already here," said Burjanadze at a press conference in Tbilisi on June 11. According to Burjanadze, all responsibility lies with president Mikheil Saakashvili, minister of foreign affairs Vano Merabishvili, and other top officials.

The Republican party released a similar statement condemning the authorities' actions. Both parties have appealed to the international community, legal defense organizations, and representatives of the diplomatic corps with requests to monitor the ongoing situation.

Salome Zurabishvili: The only thing that is saving Georgia from destruction is this wave of protests

Грузию спасает от разрушения только волна оппозиционного протеста: Саломе Зурабишвили

"If the wave of protests in Georgia cease, then the country will be threatened by a new wave of destruction and repression," stated leader of the opposition party "Georgia's Way," ex-head of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Salome Zurabishvili at a rally in Tbilisi. In her words, "we stand here in order to save our army from destruction."

As for dialogue with the government, in Zurabishvili's opinion, the authorities' talk about the necessity for dialogue is just "for show." She revealed that, during a forthcoming visit to Georgia by representatives from Western countries [the visit of EU Special Representative Peter Semneby], the opposition intends to show that the Georgian public is asking for dialogue, but that it is the authorities who are not willing to engage in dialogue, because they do not want to admit that the country is in crisis.

The Georgian opposition has been holding demonstrations since April 9. They are demanding that Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili resign.

Two activists from Nino Burjanadze's party missing

В Грузии пропали двое представителей партии Нино Бурджанадзе

Two youth activists, Darejan Gujejiani and Tamara Naveriani, from a youth organization sponsored by the "Democratic Movement--A Unified Georgia" party headed by ex-Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze have gone missing in Georgia. Today at a gathering of opposition party members, Marina Salukvadze addressed Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Eka Zguladze, saying "we demand that measures be taken quickly to search for these young women." According to Salukvadze, at around 3pm, a black jeep began to pursue Gujejiani and Naveriani. The girls had just enough time to phone for help.

Matthew Bryza: US will help Georgia defend its "remaining territory"

США помогут Грузии защитить свою "оставшуюся территорию": Мэтью Брайза

In an interview with radio station "Echo of Moscow" , Deputy Assistant US Secretary of State Matthew Bryza stated that the US will never recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The American diplomat stated that Russia had been provoking the situation in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict during the last four years, and that the US had convinced Tbilisi not to give into the provocations.

"We had successfully convinced Georgia to be patient, to not react to any of these provocations, and up to a point, we were successful. Up to August. Ultimately, it was just too much. We have said, and I myself have said many times, that Georgia made a mistake when it launched the attack on Tskhinvali. But the war didn't start with that attack. The war had begun several days, even a week, before this," stated Bryza.

Matthew Bryza also believes that the missions of the OSCE and UN in the zones of the Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts should be continued.

Answering a question about the delivery of arms to Georgia, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State stated that the US never delivered offensive arms to Georgia. "Other countries did that," he remarked. As for deliveries of anti-tank and air defense munitions, Bryza said that "they were only for defense."

"Now we are helping Georgia develop a new approach, a new military doctrine. We must help them think differently. To think that, first of all, it needs to defend its territory. I mean, well, you understand, territory. I don't mean Abkhazia and South Ossetia, I mean the remaining territory. And to prepare Georgia to make contributions to international operations in other countries, including in the framework of NATO, in the future," said the American diplomat. "We believe that if we help the Georgian army be professional, this is good for both Russia and Georgia. And I would add that currently, Russia is not fulfilling its obligations according to the agreements of August 12, September 8 and UN resolution 1866. Because Russia has the obligation to withdraw its forces to pre-war positions. And Russia has increased the number of forces. Earlier, they numbered 4,500 ; now they number more than 10,000. Russia is going in a different direction, one that does not coincide with its obligations, " he stated.