Georgian opposition postpones highway blockade by three days

The press service of the National Forum has reported that the Georgian opposition made a decision to postpone by three days the start of intended picketing of main country's highways in the context of MIA's information about a putsch allegedly prepared and then prevented.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that today the MIA of Georgia has announced prevention of a coup d'etat in the country, allegedly backed by Russia, which is against the NATO military exercises.

Shota Utiashvili, official spokesman of the MIA, has stated that already detained Giya Gvaladze, ex-commander of the "Delta" special purpose regiment, was the putsch organizer. Today, Koba Kobaladze, ex-commander of the National Guard of Georgia, was also arrested.

In the context of this information, the armoured battalion of the military part deployed in Mukhrovani, 20 km off Tbilisi, announced disobedience to the authorities. Vice-Colonel Mamuka Gorgishvili, commander of the battalion, has stated that disobedience was caused by militaries' disability to "further withstand" the country's internal political situation and stood up for a dialogue of the authorities with the opposition, which keeps holding, since April 9, mass actions in Tbilisi demanding Saakashvili's resignation. However, the commander emphasized that his soldiers were not going to mingle in the domestic political affairs.

The top country's leadership, including President of Georgia, went to Mukhrovani to talk with the "rebels". Later, the MIA reported that the territory of the military unit was taken under control.

The ITAR-TASS reports that a source in Russian special agencies has categorically denied any Russia's involvement in the incident and called accusations against the Russian Federation to be delirium and agony of Georgia's ruling regime.

David Usupashvili, one of the leaders of the oppositional Republican Party of Georgia, has stated that the situation with the revolt was provoked by Georgian authorities, as the "News-Georgia" Agency reports.

"I urge the authorities not to resort to such methods of self-saving; otherwise it'll bring the country to ruin. And if it had been conceived by others, or a group of militaries, I call them to get back to their duties and continue serving their country," said Mr Usupashvili.

In his turn, David Gamkrelidze, leader of the "New Right-Wingers", said that the data on the revolt in the armoured battalion should be rechecked, as "the incident could be initiated by the authorities with the aim to distract people' attention."

Mr Gamkrelidze suggests conducting an international investigation of this resonant incident.

He asserts that President Mikhail Saakashvili could enter the territory of the rebellious military unit only being assured of his absolute safety. "The authorities staged the performance to prevent our blockage of highways," said the politician.