15.11.2007 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

People concerned about the political crisis facing their country but lack good sources of information; all private television news broadcasts were suspended under the state of emergency ("Black Sea News Blackout in Ajaria") [ID 21649]

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01.11.2007 - Source: Civil Georgia

Car convoys of opposition activists on their way to Tbilisi have been stopped by groups of men; the unknown attackers seized car keys and blocked both main connections to Tbilisi; in addition, according to opposition members, authorities have restricted public transport in provinces ("Movement of Protesters from Provinces Curbed") [ID 21490]

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22.01.2007 - Source: Civil Georgia

Ex-Adjarian Leader Sentenced to Prison in Absentia ("Ex-Adjarian Leader Sentenced to Prison in Absentia") [ID 18557]

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04.03.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

Adjara: Ex-leader Abashidze officially charged with the murder of his former deputy Imnadze in 1991; Abashidze already sentenced by the Batumi court to 3 month pretrial detention for alleged misappropriation of state funds ("Adjara’s Ex-Leader Charged with Murder") [#45833],  [ID 5681]

Document(s): Open document

17.02.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

Adjara: Georgian military police seized vehicle of Russian military base, claiming vehicle's movement was not authorised ("Georgia Seizes Russian Military Vehicle in Adjara") [#44600],  [ID 5682]

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05.01.2006 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

In Council of Europe report on the Implementation of Resolution 1415 (2005) Georgia is criticized for the limited autonomy status of Adjaria and no intent of changing its current status shown by authorities ("Implementation of Resolution 1415 (2005) on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Georgia [Doc. 10779]") [#41527],  [ID 5683]

"65. In our previous report, we criticised "the excessively limited autonomy" status of Adjaria which was adopted by the Georgian Parliament in 2004, ignoring the recommendations of the Venice Commission. We expressed the view that the role attributed to the central Georgian authorities in appointing the region's Prime Minister and executive was a sign of unjustified lack of confidence in the citizens of Adjaria. We insisted that changes were implemented not later than by the end of 2005.

66. It seems clear following our meetings in Tbilisi in November that the authorities have no intention of changing the status of Adjaria. We were told that to the difference of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Adjarians were ethnic Georgians and were not claiming any autonomy status. [...]

68. As the authorities had committed themselves to ensuring that the integration of Adjaria would be done in the most democratic way, any further decision in that respect will have to be transparent and reached on the basis of the widest possible consensus. We believe that the failure of the authorities to deliver on the promise of a new autonomy status for Adjaria sends a very bad signal to the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia where the level of distrust towards the Georgian authorities is already extremely high."

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09.12.2005 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Although president publicly promised immunity for exiled former leader of Ajaria, Aslan Abashidze, authorities issued arrest warrant for him, after court charged him with several crimes ("Ajaria’s Ex-Leader Charged") [#40633],  [ID 5684]

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14.09.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Batumi, Adjara Autonomous Republic: 3 activists from opposition Conservative Party were reportedly attacked and beaten up by group of unknown men ("Opposition Activists Attacked in Adjara") [#42518],  [ID 5689]

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15.06.2005 - Source: Freedom House

In May 2004 Abashidze was forced to flee Achara, which is likely to have solved Achara separatism ("Nations in Transit 2005") [#32929],  [ID 5685]

"The government of the Autonomous Republic of Achara did not formally secede and, even in the period before May 2004, continued to take part in Georgia’s political life. Yet it openly defied constitutional order and turned the region into the personal fiefdom of Aslan Abashidze, the local strongman. Like other regions with uncertain political control, Achara became the breeding ground for an illicit economy and smuggling. In May 2004, after mass protests in Achara in what can be called Georgia’s second Rose Revolution, Abashidze was forced to flee. This outcome has most likely solved the problem of Achara’s implicit separatism."

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14.06.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Adjara: Serviceman from Russian military base in Batumi released by local police after several hours of detention; he denied accusations that he was trying to steal car ("Russian Serviceman Released in Batumi") [#42854],  [ID 5686]

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15.05.2005 - Source: UK Home Office

Once Saakashvili became President, tensions grew between Ajara and Abashidze; after Abashidze`s stepping down on 5 May 2004, new elections were held in June 2004 ("Georgia bulletin 5/2005") [#37885],  [ID 5687]

"Following Saakashvili's election as President of Georgia in January 2004, tensions between the semi-autonomous region of Ajara and its autocratic leader Abashidze grew. Massive electoral fraud and Abashidze's unwillingness to accept Saakashvili over Ajara set the scene for a confrontation that resulted in Abashidze stepping down on 5 May 2004. Georgia's Parliament introduced a new Ajaran Constitution and fresh Ajaran legislative elections were held on 20 June 2004. Ajara's elections were won by a local offshoot of President Saakashvili's National Movement party."

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21.12.2004 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Reintegration of Adzharia ("Honouring of obligations and commitments by Georgia [Doc. 10383]") [#28272],  [ID 5688]

"6. In the first days of May, after a month long confrontation with the Georgian government, Aslan Abashidze authoritarian regime in the autonomous province of Adjaria collapsed when its leader fled to Moscow. Two days later President Saakashvili established direct presidential rule in the province, pending the adoption of constitutional changes concerning Adjarian autonomy and new regional elections.

7. The election of the Supreme Council of Adjaria was held on 20 June, before the adoption of the constitutional law on Adjarian autonomy. The opinion of the election observers from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe was largely positive, with two major concerns: the accuracy of the voters list and the secrecy of the ballot. Mirroring the results of the March parliamentary vote, the Saakashvili-Victorious Ajara bloc won 28 out of 30 seats in the Ajarian Supreme Council. The Republican party – which on the occasion of these elections split with their coalition partners at the national level – won two seats as the only opposition to President Saakashvili’s governing majority.

8. On the Monitoring Committee’s request, the Venice Commission prepared an opinion on the proposed amendments concerning the autonomous status of the Adjaria. Yet again, the advice of the Council of Europe’s constitutional experts – which found that the proposed changes provided for excessive interference of Georgian state organs in the affairs of the autonomous province – did not have much of an impact on the final version, which contains most of the elements criticised by the Venice Commission[5]."

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18.08.2004 - Source: International Crisis Group

Adzharia: Report focused on the latest development and the current situation (religious difference, strategic and economic importance) ("Saakashvili's Ajara Success: Repeatable Elsewhere in Georgia?") [#24818],  [ID 5690]

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23.06.2004 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Ajaria: pro-Saakashvili party Victorious Ajaria has won a crushing victory in pre-term parliamentary elections in Ajaria ("Saakashvili Sweeps Ajaria Poll") [#23493],  [ID 5691]

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22.06.2004 - Source: EurasiaNet

Adzharia:According to an independent vote count conducted by the NGO "Fair Elections Commission" Saakashvili-Victorious Ajaria won only 68.5 percent of the vote instead of 75 percent as officially announced ("Doubts Shadow Saakashvili’s Ajaria Election Victory") [#23434],  [ID 5692]

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16.05.2004 - Source: BBC News

Ajaria: the authorities recovered large quantities of weapons during arms amnesty ("Ajarian rebels 'handing in arms'") [#22343],  [ID 5693]

"The authorities in Georgia say they have recovered large quantities of weapons during a arms amnesty in the former rebel region of Ajaria.
Almost 3,000 automatic rifles, 400 grenades and 50 grenade launchers have been handed in, according to the interior ministry.

The amnesty, which has now expired, was launched in early May, after Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze fled to Moscow.
[...]
During the confrontation, Mr Abashidze's security forces had distributed weapons to civilians."

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10.05.2004 - Source: Civil Georgia

Adzharia: Democratic Revival Union party led by ex-Adzharian leader Aslan Abashidze disbanded ("Abashidze’s Party Disbanded") [#22123],  [ID 5694]

"Democratic Revival Union party led by ex-Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze, ceased activity in the wake of Abashidze’s departure to Moscow on May 6.

The Revival Union was set up by Aslan Abashidze in 1995. The party was participating in all parliamentary and self-governance elections in Georgia.

In March 28, 2004 parliamentary elections the Revival Union received 3,89% support, hence failed to secure seats in the Georgia’s new Parliament.

The Interim Council of Adjara, which will govern the region before the snap local elections, announced that the Adjarian Autonomy’s representative’s office in Tbilisi will also be closed down.

Hamlet Tchipashvili, who was the Autonomy’s representative in Tbilisi confirmed both disbanding of Revival Union and cancellation of Adjarian representation in the Georgian capital."

Document(s): Open document

07.05.2004 - Source: Civil Georgia

Adzharia: Opposition members of Parliament intend to submit a legislative initiative to the Parliament over holding a plebiscite in the Adzharian Autonomous Republic regarding cancellation of the region’s autonomous status ("Opposition MPs Seek for Lifting Adjara’s Autonomous Status") [#22006],  [ID 5695]

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07.05.2004 - Source: Caucasian Knot

Adzharia: Post of head of Adzharia abolished; power structure in the republic will be the same as before: the Council of Ministers and the Supreme Council of Adzharia will function ("Post of head of Adjaria abolished") [#22003],  [ID 5696]

"On the night of May 6-7, the Supreme Council of Adjaria made a decision to abolish the post of head of Adjaria in the autonomous republic.

Georgian Prosecutor General Irakly Okruashvili has told journalists in Batumi that the power structure in the republic will be the same as before: the Council of Ministers and the Supreme Council of Adjaria will function."

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06.05.2004 - Source: Civil Georgia

Adzharia: Former commander of the Batumi-based 25th Brigade of the Georgian Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Roman Dumbadze, who pledged loyalty to Aslan Abashidze and refused to obey the country’s central authorities, arrested in Batumi ("Renegade General Arrested") [#22009],  [ID 5697]

"Former commander of the Batumi-based 25th Brigade of the Georgian Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Roman Dumbadze, who pledged loyalty to Aslan Abashidze and refused to obey the country’s central authorities, was arrested in Batumi.
[...]
The Georgian General Prosecutor’s Office brought criminal charges against Dumbadze and accused him of treason in April, during the standoff between the Adjaria’s ex-leader Aslan Abashidze and country’s central authorities."

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