Aslan Abashidze: Opposition leaders say they are threatened withphysical destruction

Leaders of the united opposition movement Our Adzharia cannot arrive in Batumi because of the threat of physical destruction, says the declaration circulated on Tuesday.

"Despite the numerous telephone threats, the leaders of the organisation planned to come to Batumi on March 23. Shortly before their departure the information arrived that the power structures of Adzharia plan the physical destruction of the opposition leaders so as to use this fact for torpedoing the elections in the territory of the autonomy. The action has been entrusted to a group of persons earlier condemned for the commitment of grave crimes", the statement reads. The parliamentary elections in Georgia, of which Adzharia is a part, will be held next Sunday.

The statement stresses that, upon the attainment of agreements between the president of Georgia and the leader of Adzharia on March 18 on the free and fair elections, Our Adzharia hoped for the conduct of democratic elections in Adzharia. But, the authorities of the autonomy are frustrating these agreements", the opposition maintains. In its opinion, Adzharian leader Aslan Abashidze and his company "are ready to do all to wreck the elections, understanding that they will be another proof of their full political bankruptcy".