SAAKASHVILI CALLED AN EARLY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FOR JANUARY 5, 2008

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.11.2007 14:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia’s President Mikhael Saakashvili on Thursday
called an early presidential election for January in an attempt to
defuse Georgia’s bitter political crisis and strengthen his hold
on power.

The vote had been due to take place in late 2008, but Saakashvili said
the vote would be held on Jan. 5 "to gain the trust of the people."

Saakashvili’s decision came a day after riot police violently dispersed
opposition protesters who had rallied in the capital for a week to
demand his ouster. The pro-Western president then imposed a state
of emergency and banned all news broadcasts except state-controlled
television.

"My compromise is that the opposition is given a chance to get elected
by the people, if they have the support," Saakashvili said calling
on international organizations to send ‘as many observers as they can’.

He proposed holding a referendum simultaneously with the presidential
vote on when to hold parliamentary elections. The parliamentary
elections had been due to take place in late 2008, but the opposition
wants an early vote next spring, AP reports.

Wednesday evening Georgian President Mikhael Saakashvili signed a
decree on establishment of state of emergency in Tbilisi.

The measure has followed an attempt of coup d’etat, State Minister
Zurab Noghaideli said.

"The edict imposes limitations on conduction of demonstrations and
calls for violence, shift in power and organization of disorders,"
he said.

Mr Noghaideli said the state of emergency will cover Tbilisi only. At
that "freedom of speech is not restricted" while "usual media work"
will be resumed after the order in the republic is established.

However, national emergency spear all over Georgia on Wednesday night.