Georgian President Resigns

FoxNews

[PeteFromMontana]

On Foxnews Now

[July 4th]

Huge rally being shown live on Fox.

[Mo1]

WOW!!!

[jriemer]

With the communist Eduard Shevardnadze gone (Gorby's FM), who fills the power vacuum? More communists? Islamists? LaRouchies? 8^)

Don't get too happy folks - this may not be a democratic uprising.

[prairiebreeze]

I would think Putin is watching with interest,,,and possibly concern. Hope some horrid snake doesn't get into power.

Prairie

[Peach]

Ditto that, Prairie.

[ChadGore]

"Now matters are worse"(c) Yoda

[Mo1]

I haven't been following the news in Georgia ... so I had no idea what was going on

[ChadGore]

I can't believe it.

[PeteFromMontana]

I found this one so far:

Georgia's president declares state of emergency

CTV.ca News Staff

Eduard Shevardnadze, the president of the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, has declared a state of emergency and is vowing to fight what he calls "a coup" that began Saturday when opposition members stormed parliament.

Led by opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili, the protesters pushed through parliament's chamber doors and took over the opening session, overturning desks and chairs and leaping onto the speaker's podium.

"The Velvet Revolution has taken place in Georgia,'' Saakashvili declared to his cheering backers, who were reportedly allowed in without resistance by security forces surrounding the building.

"We are against violence,'' he added.

Shevardnadze, 75, was quickly removed from the chamber by bodyguards. He later appeared on national television to announce the state of emergency.

"Order will be restored and the criminals will be punished,'' he said. Standing beside him, the interior minister, who heads police and internal security, pledged his loyalty.

Parliamentary speaker Nino Burdzhanadze declared herself acting president and opposition forces claimed they were now running the government.

"We have won today and the most important thing now is to preserve peace. Those who try to steal our victory will be punished,'' said Burdzhanadze.

As he was rushed out, Shevardnadze vowed: "I will not resign. I will resign when the presidential term expires, according to the constitution.''

Outside parliament, tens of thousands of protesters packed the main square in the capital, Tbilisi, accusing Sheverdnadze of rigging elections earlier this month and demanding he quit.

The protesters kicked over an effigy of the president and toted placards reading, "Your century was the 20th. Now it is the 21st.''

Although the takeover has been peaceful so far, the threat of violence looms large in the city's capital, with neither side wanting to back down,

Many Georgians are angry about the widespread unemployment and poverty that have plagued the country, since the Soviet Union collapsed 12 years ago. There have been two weeks of daily street protests demanding Shevardnadze resign.

Moscow has called for a peaceful resolution to the unrest in the former Soviet state.

Shevardnadze, who was once Georgia's communist party boss and has ruled since 1992, has said he will not be pushed from office by demonstrators.

His second term ends in 2005.

[July 4th]

The rally looks like a throwback to about 10 or 15 years ago. The yellow street lights, people climbing on the buildings...it makes it look a lot like the days when the Soviets were getting tossed out of power. Now, however, I fear the popular uprising may be worse than what was already in power.

[ChadGore]

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gg.html

[Mo1]

Led by opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili, the protesters pushed through parliament's chamber doors and took over the opening session, overturning desks and chairs and leaping onto the speaker's podium.

OK .. who is Mikhail Saakashvili?? ... And should we need to worry?

[Wait4Truth]

I'm still trying to figure out if this is a good thing or a bad thing! Does anybody know?

[ChadGore]

Are any more sources reporting this ?

[a_Turk]

>> who fills the power vacuum?

Moscow. This was a well engineered game by Putin. The BTC pipeline is toast.

[July 4th]

There's a large Israeli flag being waved at the rally...hope people don't get angry that the Jews did this!

[Mo1]

I have no clue .. but I'm seeing an Israeli flag flying in the crowd .. so maybe it's a good thing

[ChadGore]

BTC pipeline ? please explain.

[PeteFromMontana]

"Are any more sources reporting this ?"


I was hoping the genuises of FreeRepulic could find more, I am searching myself