Cec approved final vote tally of elections


  CEC CHAIRMAN REPORTS OF POGROMS IN ADJARA; BATUMI DENIES EVERYTHING



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8.  CEC CHAIRMAN REPORTS OF POGROMS IN ADJARA; BATUMI DENIES EVERYTHING


Tbilisi, 28 March ’04, Caucasus Press. - CEC Chairman Zurab Chiaberashvili reports of pogroms of polling stations in Adjara. He said that pogroms had been registered in Kobuleti, Keda and Batumi (polling station #8). Chiaberashvili demanded from the President of Georgia to defend the rights of Adjarian voters. "We hope that all the problems will be settled during Premier Zvania's meeting with Adjarian leader Abashidze," the CEC Chairman stressed. At the Meanwhile, Mayor of Batumi Giorgi Abashidze told Caucasus Press that everything's quiet in Batumi. "We are currently at the 8th polling station together with journalists and we see no violence and infringement at this station," Giorgi Abashidze said.

9.  VIOLATIONS DURING VOTING REPORTED IN ADJARA


Tbilisi, 28 March ’04, Inter-Press. - According to latest reports from the Adjara Autonomous Republic, numerous violations have been fixed in various polling stations of the region during the parliamentary elections on March 28. Reportedly, Adjarian criminal Niaz Putkaradze is terrorizing opposition supporters at the #39 polling stations of the Khelvachauri district, trying to prevent the free conduct of elections. Besides, an armed group led by so-called criminal barons Vazha Mzhavidze and Tengiz Gogolishvili attacked the #23 polling stations of the Kobuleti town, near the Adjarian capital city, and threatened members of the election administration with death in case the Union of Democratic Revival, led by Aslan Abashidze, loses the polls. In addition, a 60-member armed group comprised of Abashidze's supporters is controlling the situation in Khelvachauri.

10. PRIME-MINISTER DOES NOT CONFIRM INFORMATION OF POGROMS IN ADJARA


Tbilisi, 28 March ’04, Caucasus Press. - The information about pogroms at polling stations in Adjara has not been confirmed. Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze refuted this information at the joint press conference with Prime-Minister Zurab Zhvania tonight. Zurab Zhvania also did not confirm the information about pogroms. He said he was going to stay in Adjara till late to prevent undesirable excesses there. The Premier is going to inspect polling stations after they are closed. "No serious violations had been registered in Batumi by 07:00 pm," he said. Aslan Abashidze stated that certain forces in Tbilisi, including CEC Chairman Zurab Chiaberashvili, try to exaggerate the situation in Adjara and charge local authorities with pogroms. "We are interested in holding absolutely transparent elections, but some mass media in Tbilisi try to misrepresent the situation in Adjara," Abashidze said.

11. ASLAN ABASHIDZE: CEC CHAIRMAN SPREADS DISINFORMATION IN REGARDS WITH ELECTION SITUATION IN THE REGION


Tbilisi, 28 March ’04, Prime-News. - According to Ajara Head Aslan Abashidze, chairman of Central Election Commission Zurab Chiaberashvili is spreading disinformation in regards with election situation in the region. As Abashidze told journalists after meeting with Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, one should not make statements on the bases of disinformation. "Ajara authorities desire most of all to hold elections without incidents", head of the autonomy noted. In addition, as the Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania declared, central authorities will recheck spread information for avoiding undesirable reactions. As the CEC chairman Zurab Chiaberashvili declared mass raid of polling stations already started in Ajara. Chiaberashvili called upon central authorities to flush and punish people violating polling process. Polling stations were closed throughout Georgia without serious incidents by 8 p.m.

12. FIRST ATTEMPT TO STEAL A BALLOT BOX REGISTERED


Tbilisi, 28 March ’04, Caucasus Press. - The first attempt to steal a ballot box has been registered at the polling station #8 in Khelvachauri district of Adjara. CEC Chairman Zurab Chiaberashvili said at a press conference that unidentified people broke into the polling station and tried to steal the box, but members of the commission managed to rebuff them. The CEC Chairman said that military unit personnel are suspected of organizing the attempt. They planned to take the box to their unit, where 700 their colleagues wanted to cast their ballots. A portable ballot box was to be delivered to the unit, but this has not been done for certain reasons.

13. ELECTIONS MAY BE DECLARED INVALID IN ADJARA


Tbilisi, 28 March ‘04, Inter-Press. - The Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia Zurab Chiaberashvili told a news conference on Sunday that he is alarmed with violations taking place in the Adjara Autonomous Republic. He didn't rule out that elections in Adjara face a danger to be declared invalid. Chiaberashvili voice concern that elections were disrupted in two polling stations - one in Adjarian capital Batumi and another in the Kobuleti town, as unknown group raided the precincts. 'Members of precinct election commissions still suffer pressure in Adjara. Due to this fact members of one of the district election commissions in the Khulo region of Adjara left the polling station for security reasons,' the CEC head said. 'I do not rule out that the Central Election Commission will question validity of the election results in Adjara,' Chiaberashvili said. He called on Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze and President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, as well as international and domestic observers to ensure security in the region. 'I request and at the same time demand from President Saakashvili to pay special attention to the situation in Adjara. I also want to ask Prime Minster Zurab Zhvania, who is in Batumi at the moment, not to leave Adjara until a risk of violence is averted,' the CEC head said. Zurab Chiaberashvili refrained form naming those people responsible for attacks on polling stations in Adjara, however stressed that everyone knows who were using violence against opposition members in Adjara.


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