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Compiled by Salome Modebadze
Thursday, May 14
We won’t reject anything, says Vephkhvadze

Versia reports the statement made by Levan Vephkhvadze, one of the Christian Democrat leaders. According to Vepkhvadze at the first ten minutes of the meeting between President Saakashvili and the opposition the President was talking about the last meeting he had held. “We won’t reject anything, and will take advantage of everything Saakashvili will step back on. This is exactly our tactic, to defeat Saakashvili step by step,” Vephkhvadze stated.

“We talked about everything, our seven paragraphs of suggested Constitutional changes, the freedom of media and the scuffles that have taken place in the city lately. But what do some parties do now, after entering the meeting self-confidently making the final demands of your supporters? Was that the only reason they met with the President?” Vephkhvadze wondered.

Vephkhvadze says that opposition leaders need guarantees in case the rallies end in failure. “No one will arrest Levan Gachechiladze and Davit Gamkrelidze, but ordinary protesters may have drugs on them and be imprisoned. That’s why they wanted to break into the TV Station-they preferred to be arrested for political reasons rather than for doing drugs,” Vephkhvadze stated.

Vephkhvadze suggested that the talks should continue and admitted that he agrees with Irakli Alasania’s position. “Alasania’s position is quite bold. A strong politician doesn’t come under the influence of the majority but vice versa. I hope Alasania will manage to persuade people of his opinion, or a rule by decree might become inevitable, followed by the breaking up of rallies, the imprisonment of opposition leaders and the shutting down of information sources,” Vephkhvadze concluded.



Bidzina Baratashvili is exhausted

Rezonansi reports that Bidzina Baratashvili, the General Director of Imedi TV, has stated: “I can’t really say I feel good about the situation in the country as a whole, especially what happened here at Imedi, but I don’t plan to leave the channel yet. Tomorrow I’m taking a business trip abroad. You will perhaps remember that we had planned to hold a board meeting during the period I will be away. This will take place, I will think of something when I return in June. It is not true to say that I’m leaving now because I admit my mistakes.

“I am disappointed in many things, including the state of our relations within Imedi TV, my part in this and the estimations made by particular people. Changes will follow but this is not a tragedy. I’ve simply become tired of everything, mostly of undeserving estimations being made, but the issue of my retirement is not under discussion yet, although anything may happen,” admitted Baratashvili while talking to Rezonansi.



Opposition is ready to hold protest rallies in Kakheti

The Chairs of the Kakheti regional headquarters of various opposition parties have expressed their readiness to organise rallies in this region, Akhali Taoba writes. “We will start holding rallies in the region as soon as we receive further instructions from the organizers in Tbilisi,” Zviad Khvrilashvili, the leader of the Gurjaani Regional Staff of the Alliance for Georgia has stated.

Gubaz Sanikidze from the National Forum mentioned that the non-Parliamentary opposition was going to start rallies in the regions in one of his speeches in front of Parliament a few days ago. “The opposition leaders should go to the regions as our country is divided into regions. It’s our duty to express our respect for the people living there. It is of course the Government’s fault that the regions are in an information vacuum but we should take some responsibility and provide them with accurate information,” Sanikidze added.