グルジアで無血クーデター | 英語のニュース

National News

Opposition party takes over Georgian parliament, forcing president to resign

TBILISI (AP) - Georgia's parliament Nov. 25 called new presidential elections for Jan. 4 to find a replacement for ousted President Eduard Shevardnadze.

Interim president Nino Burdzhanadze, a key opposition figure, meanwhile, repealed the state of emergency that Shevardnadze had declared after protesters stormed parliament Nov. 22 over allegedly rigged elections.

The Nov. 2 elections selected a new parliament dominated by pro-Shevardnadze lawmakers. But when Shevardnadze tried to officially open the parliament, hundreds of opposition backers swarmed into the chamber and took over the building.

The next day, with tens of thousands in the streets of the capital, opposition leaders delivered the president an ultimatum: resign or the protesters would storm his house. Within an hour, Shevardnadze had resigned.

Shevardnadze said he was leaving office to avoid a bloodbath in a region steeped in violence. But by that time, some servicemen had joined the protesters and it was doubtful police and soldiers would have obeyed orders to use force.

Shevardnadze's resignation comes after a decade of mounting discontent and protests over corruption that has plagued the former Soviet republic during his reign.

Shukan ST: Dec. 5, 2003

●英字新聞社ジャパンタイムズによる英語学習サイト。英語のニュース、英語教材、TOEIC、リスニング、英語の発音、ことわざ、などのコンテンツを無料で提供。
	脚注を印刷吹き出し表示フレーム表示
National News Opposition party takes over Georgian parliament, forcing president to resign TBILISI (AP) - Georgia's parliament Nov. 25 called new presidential elections for Jan. 4 to find a replacement for ousted President Eduard Shevardnadze. Interim president Nino Burdzhanadze, a key opposition figure, meanwhile, repealed the state of emergency that Shevardnadze had declared after protesters stormed parliament Nov. 22 over allegedly rigged elections. The Nov. 2 elections selected a new parliament dominated by pro-Shevardnadze lawmakers. But when Shevardnadze tried to officially open the parliament, hundreds of opposition backers swarmed into the chamber and took over the building. The next day, with tens of thousands in the streets of the capital, opposition leaders delivered the president an ultimatum: resign or the protesters would storm his house. Within an hour, Shevardnadze had resigned. Shevardnadze said he was leaving office to avoid a bloodbath in a region steeped in violence. But by that time, some servicemen had joined the protesters and it was doubtful police and soldiers would have obeyed orders to use force. Shevardnadze's resignation comes after a decade of mounting discontent and protests over corruption that has plagued the former Soviet republic during his reign. Shukan ST: Dec. 5, 2003 (C) All rights reserved