The News in Brief
Thursday, May 7
President thanks Georgian armed forces
The President of Georgia has thanked the Georgian armed forces for their effective work during the mutiny at the Mukhrovani tank unit.
Mikheil Saakashvili met members of the joint headquarters and received information on the current situation in armed forces. He was told that the situation is stable and work continues as usual. The NATO trainings have begun according to plan.
The President of Georgia stated that it is bad to have a mutiny in the country, but few countries can act strictly and effectively against them..
”We have proved that we can effectively react. We’ll suppress any attempt at destabilization. Everyone is equal before the law and nobody must have any illusions that we’ll ever abandon this principle. The state apparatus provides stability. The police and armed forces have a significant share in this,” Saakashvili stated. (Interpressnews)
Bakradze – What is going on is incomprehensible to others
Chair of the Georgian Parliament Davit Bakradze has said that he tried to explain to the NATO delegation why things that would never happen in any Western capital are taking place in the capital of Georgia.
Bakradze told journalists after his meeting with the delegation that it was difficult for the NATO parliamentarians to understand the current situation in Georgia, and that Georgia needs civil peace today. (Interpressnews)
Military hardware being inventoried after rebellion at Mukhrovani base
Journalists have been allowed to enter the Mukhrovani military base. The situation is quiet there for now. Units of the Interior and Defence Ministries are controlling the area. The soldiers usually stationed there, around 700 in all, have been taken to the Kakheti and Kvemo Kartli police divisions, where they are being interrogated. Only a few soldiers who have already been questioned have returned to the base.
The military hardware taken out of the base during the uprising on Tuesday has been returned. The hardware which remained there is being inventoried. The Joint Staff of Georgia has created a special commission to check how many military hardware units are still at the base, and if it discovers any losses, their findings will be handed over to the law enforcers who will make a further investigation.
The military uprising at the Mukhrovani base started at dawn on May 5. A few minutes after the rebellion started, law enforcers besieged the tank battalion and held talks with the soldiers. After the President presented them with an ultimatum, the soldiers gave up their arms. (Rustavi 2)
MIA produces more evidence concerning mutiny
The MIA has broadcast evidence concerning the Mukhrovani mutiny given by both servicemen and civilians.
The former commander of the Delta special division, Gia Ghvaladze, states that Koba Kobaladze, two strangers and Koba Otanadze met him. “Kobaladze said that Saakashvili would resign soon, but nobody knew who would come in. He said ‘we have to come’,” - Ghvaladze stated. He added that the mutiny was planned and military equipment and 500 soldiers had entered Tbilisi for this purpose. Ghvaladze said that Kobaladze advised him to discuss technical issues with Otanadze. “It was clear that everything would be determined by Kobaladze,” Ghvaladze stated.
Evidence given by several soldiers of Mukhrovani Battalion was broadcast. The soldiers were
Gia Ghvaladze, Major Mardon Chikhvanaia, Lieutenant Khvicha Sadaghashvili, Major Aleko Nadibaidze, Zaza Okropiridze, Major Giorgi Samadashvili, Major Vazha Shvelidze, Major Kakhaber Jolbordi, Vazha Kutsishvili, First Lieutenant Kakhaber Gogichaishvili and Zaza Murjikneli. All of these men are currently detained. (Interpressnews)
Unidentified criminal gang kidnaps 82-year old Galaktion Basilaia
An unidentified criminal gang in the Gali region village of Nabakevi has kidnapped 82-year old Galaktion Basilaia, the Abkhazian media centre has told Interpressnews. Basilaia was kidnapped on May 5 at about 21:00. The kidnappers demand that his family pay a ransom for him, though the amount of money asked is not named.
Basilaia was also kidnapped two months ago by an Abkhazian gang, however on that occasion the kidnappers found the phone number of a senior policeman in his mobile phone and released him. It has been reported that Galaktion Basilaia’s son has influence in the criminal underworld. (Interpressnews)
The President of Georgia has thanked the Georgian armed forces for their effective work during the mutiny at the Mukhrovani tank unit.
Mikheil Saakashvili met members of the joint headquarters and received information on the current situation in armed forces. He was told that the situation is stable and work continues as usual. The NATO trainings have begun according to plan.
The President of Georgia stated that it is bad to have a mutiny in the country, but few countries can act strictly and effectively against them..
”We have proved that we can effectively react. We’ll suppress any attempt at destabilization. Everyone is equal before the law and nobody must have any illusions that we’ll ever abandon this principle. The state apparatus provides stability. The police and armed forces have a significant share in this,” Saakashvili stated. (Interpressnews)
Bakradze – What is going on is incomprehensible to others
Chair of the Georgian Parliament Davit Bakradze has said that he tried to explain to the NATO delegation why things that would never happen in any Western capital are taking place in the capital of Georgia.
Bakradze told journalists after his meeting with the delegation that it was difficult for the NATO parliamentarians to understand the current situation in Georgia, and that Georgia needs civil peace today. (Interpressnews)
Military hardware being inventoried after rebellion at Mukhrovani base
Journalists have been allowed to enter the Mukhrovani military base. The situation is quiet there for now. Units of the Interior and Defence Ministries are controlling the area. The soldiers usually stationed there, around 700 in all, have been taken to the Kakheti and Kvemo Kartli police divisions, where they are being interrogated. Only a few soldiers who have already been questioned have returned to the base.
The military hardware taken out of the base during the uprising on Tuesday has been returned. The hardware which remained there is being inventoried. The Joint Staff of Georgia has created a special commission to check how many military hardware units are still at the base, and if it discovers any losses, their findings will be handed over to the law enforcers who will make a further investigation.
The military uprising at the Mukhrovani base started at dawn on May 5. A few minutes after the rebellion started, law enforcers besieged the tank battalion and held talks with the soldiers. After the President presented them with an ultimatum, the soldiers gave up their arms. (Rustavi 2)
MIA produces more evidence concerning mutiny
The MIA has broadcast evidence concerning the Mukhrovani mutiny given by both servicemen and civilians.
The former commander of the Delta special division, Gia Ghvaladze, states that Koba Kobaladze, two strangers and Koba Otanadze met him. “Kobaladze said that Saakashvili would resign soon, but nobody knew who would come in. He said ‘we have to come’,” - Ghvaladze stated. He added that the mutiny was planned and military equipment and 500 soldiers had entered Tbilisi for this purpose. Ghvaladze said that Kobaladze advised him to discuss technical issues with Otanadze. “It was clear that everything would be determined by Kobaladze,” Ghvaladze stated.
Evidence given by several soldiers of Mukhrovani Battalion was broadcast. The soldiers were
Gia Ghvaladze, Major Mardon Chikhvanaia, Lieutenant Khvicha Sadaghashvili, Major Aleko Nadibaidze, Zaza Okropiridze, Major Giorgi Samadashvili, Major Vazha Shvelidze, Major Kakhaber Jolbordi, Vazha Kutsishvili, First Lieutenant Kakhaber Gogichaishvili and Zaza Murjikneli. All of these men are currently detained. (Interpressnews)
Unidentified criminal gang kidnaps 82-year old Galaktion Basilaia
An unidentified criminal gang in the Gali region village of Nabakevi has kidnapped 82-year old Galaktion Basilaia, the Abkhazian media centre has told Interpressnews. Basilaia was kidnapped on May 5 at about 21:00. The kidnappers demand that his family pay a ransom for him, though the amount of money asked is not named.
Basilaia was also kidnapped two months ago by an Abkhazian gang, however on that occasion the kidnappers found the phone number of a senior policeman in his mobile phone and released him. It has been reported that Galaktion Basilaia’s son has influence in the criminal underworld. (Interpressnews)