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IDPs protest Burjanadze’s staff

Netgazeti reports that many IDPs from Abkhazia oppose the appointment of Vakhtang Kolbaia on the position of interim Head of the Abkhazian government, claiming he is a member of former Parliamentary Chairperson, Nino Burjanadze’s staff.

The IDP initiative group and the Georgian Dream–Democratic Georgia faction held protest rallies in front of the High Council of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia under the slogans “We Support the Georgian Dream,” “We Do Not Want Nino Burjanadze’s staff – Vakhtang Kolbaia,” etc.

One of the protesters, Dimitri Omanadze said the council like the IDPs has been under displacement for 20 years. Claiming that the High Council of Abkhazia is unable to do anything for them, he said everyone cares for their posts neglecting the interests of IDPs.

“There was one another illegality in recent times: the only one candidate had been considered for the position of the Head of Abkhazian government,” Omanadze said referring to Kolbaia. Stressing it was not a constitutional step he said IDPs have nothing against Kolbaia personally.

According to the organizers of the rally, they aim at informing the public about the “secret dreamers” going on in the High Council, where “pseudo oppositionists” are holding the leading positions, who are in reality carrying out Burjanadze’s election campaign.

IDPs said their majority voted for the Georgian Dream coalition during the October parliamentary elections in 2012, thus they discouraged making “experiments” before the upcoming presidential elections. They said the existence of the Georgian Dream-Democratic Movement (supporting Prime Minister Bidizna Ivanishvili) and the Georgian Dream-United Georgia (supporting presidential candidate Nino Burjanadze and chaired by Kolbaia) within the High Council damages the image of the Georgian Dream coalition [as the two leaders are opponents].

IDPs also said the activity of the government of the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic is paralyzed at the moment because Kolbaia is holding his position illegally.

“We do not want a second Burjanadze in Abkhazian government!” IDPs protested threatening to hold permanent rallies.