Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of May 20-26

Two terror acts in Makhachkala, one of which committed by female suicide bomber; arrest on corruption charges of former Premier of Georgia Vano Merabishvili; election of Maikop Mayor; success of the Dagestani "Anji" FC to win bronze medals in Russia's football championships, - look these and other events in the Caucasus in the review of the week of May 20-26, 2013, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

Twin terror act in Makhachkala - over 70 victims, several casualties

On May 20, in Makhachkala, in Ordjonikidze Street, a twin terror act committed at the building of the Court Marshal Service wounded 52 and killed four persons. The first blast was triggered at about 3:15 p.m. - the bomb was planted under a parked car; and 15 minutes later, when operative agents were working in place, the second bomb was triggered.

On May 25, at about 11:55 a.m. Moscow time, in the centre of Makhachkala, in Gamzatov Street, close to the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), the bomb was triggered by a female suicide bomber. According to the police, 15 persons were wounded. Under unofficial information, there were 18 victims. Later one of them died at hospital. The suspected suicide bomber was identified as Madina Alieva (Salakhanova), 25, who, according to power agents, was a civil wife of two earlier killed militants Ali Aliev and Kurban Djapaev. According to the National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC) of Russia, Alieva went abroad, where she contacted active members of the armed underground; and after May 13, she was considered missing. According to investigators' version, the woman approached the agents of the road-and-patrol service, who were performing their service duties, and triggered the bomb attached to her body.

Vano Marabishvili, former Premier, arrested on charges of corruption in Georgia

The major event during the last week in Georgia was the detention and further arrest of Vano Marabishvili, the former Prime Minister of the country and the current Secretary General of the pro-presidential "United National Movement" Party, which passed into the opposition after the October 1, 2013, parliamentary elections. On May 21, Merabishvili and the Governor of Kakheti Zurab Chiaberashvili were detained after interrogation of the Prosecutor's Office; they were accused of bribing voters, fund misappropriation and embezzlement, and abuse of powers; under the Criminal Code of Georgia, they are under threat of up to 12 years in prison. The former officials have refused to plead guilty.

On May 22, the Kutaisi City Court ruled a preliminary custody for the term of inquiry for Vano Marabishvili, while Zurab Chiaberashvili was released under the bail of 20,000 laris (about 12,300 US dollars). The defence asked the appeal instance to cancel custody for both; however, on May 25, the Appeal Court of Kutaisi decided to keep Merabishvili in custody, thus, dismissing his defence's motion. One of Merabishvili's advocates Giorgi Chiviashvili said that one of the prosecution's arguments was that his client, as a politician, has a huge effect on the public opinion.

Maikop Mayor elected without main contender of pro-governmental candidate

On May 26, the city of Maikop held voting at early election of the Mayor, appointed after the voluntary resignation of the former Mayor Mikhail Chernichenko. The Territorial Election Commission (TEC) of Maikop had registered eight candidates. According to the press service of the republic's leader, Azmet Djarimok, a deputy chair of the Soviet of People's Deputies of Maikop, withdrew from the election on his own will. As at 7:00 p.m. of the voting day, the voter turnover made 24%; Alexander Narolin was in the lead.

The election of the Maikop Mayor and the preceding election campaign were of little interest for most of the voters, said Arambij Khapaj, an activist of the Maikop City Organization "Adyge Khase" and the former head of the Republic's Movement "Adyge Khase - Circassian Parliament". He noted that the main rival of the pro-governmental candidate (from the "Edinaya Rossiya" (United Russia) Party) Alexander Narolin - Mukharbij Tkharkakhov, a co-chair of the movement "For Future of Adygea" and a Deputy of the Republic's Legislative Assembly, could not run for the post, as his registration was rejected; and on May 20, the Presidium of the Supreme Court of Adygea dismissed Tkharkakhov's complain against the rejection of his registration; the politician found this decision illegal and sent a complaint to the Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF).

"Anji" FC from Dagestan ranked third in Russia's football championships

On May 20, the Makhachkala Football Club "Anji" defeated - on the 29th day of the Russia's football championships - the Moscow "Locomotive" FC with the score 2:1. This victory allowed the Dagestani club to win - for the first time in its history - the bronze medals of the championships. After the victory "Anji" got 53 points, much ahead of its followers - the Moscow "Spartak" FC and the Krasnodar "Kuban" FC.