Wednesday. Issue Two.  09*10*1996

   * THEY TOOK AWAY THE CAMERA FROM THE JOURNALISTS OF "RUSTAVI-2" AND ER-
RASED PART OF THE MATERIALS ON THE ELECTIONS IN AJARIA. This was said
today at the press conference by the representative of the television
channel "Rustavi-2" Giga Bokeria. According to him, the staff member of
the security service explained his actions by the fact, that "Rustavi-2" 
is closed, but when he saw the interview of Aslan Abashidze at the tape he
returned it.

P R E S S  C O N F E R E N C E

                       Today the representatives of the television channel
                       "Rustavi-2" and the group of the Tbilisi jounalists
                       held a press conference. Correspondent of BGI Nana
                       Mishelashvili reports.

   The theme of the press conference was the elections to the Supreme
Council of Ajaria. 
   The film which was made by the Tbilisi jounalists at the elections was
shown. 
   Giga Bokeria, chairman of "Rustavi-2":
   - The private television of Ajaria did not participate in informing
about the elections.  And the state TV, comletely followed the course of
Aslan Abashidze. According to the group of the Georgian observers
"Tavisupali archevnebi" ("Independant elections"), they saw only three
facts of violations, which were connected to the fact, that the voters
did not have passports with them. 
   Giga Bokeria said, that the officers of the security service were
present at all of the election points.  And one of them, after saying that
"Rustavi-2" was closed, took the camera away and errased part of the
materials on the tape.  But when he saw the interview with Aslan Abashidze
he returned the camera. 
   Dato Kipiani, deputy editor of the newspaper "Akhali taoba":
   - The union of citizens had it's observers at each of the election
points.
   After this the film about the elections in Ajaria was shown, were Aslan
Abashidze sais in the interview, that there can be no falsification at the
total elections.  According to him, Ajaria passed the exam. 
   The facts when the bulletin was given to the voters who did not have
passports were also taped. The deputy chairman of the Central election
committee Tamaz Baziashvili explained this by the fact, that, many people
lost the old passports, and they cannot buy the new ones. There was also a
driver, who said, that he brings the voters to the election points on his
bus.
   After this the questions followed.
   - What was the cause of the high percentage of the voters?
   - Everything was done for that. What can one do when a bus comes to
take him to the elections? 
   - Were the observers of the Union of Citizens of Georgia active?
   - We have not seen any of them. But the observers of the union
"Agordzineba" were really active.

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