- Title: GEORGIA: Georgia parliament votes to lift emergency rule
- Date: 16th November 2007
- Summary: (EU) TBILISI, GEORGIA (NOVEMBER 15, 2007) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF GEORGIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING
- Embargoed: 1st December 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Georgia
- Country: Georgia
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVABXR33M86ZERK97VFVXR47UPFM
- Story Text: Georgia's parliament overwhelmingly approved lifting the state of emergency on Friday evening, but opposition leaders emphasise that it must be comprehensive.
Georgia's parliament on Thursday (November 15) approved lifting its state of emergency on Friday (November 16) at 7 p.m. (1500 GMT), a move that will allow people to meet in public and independent media to broadcast.
Speaker, Nino Burjanadze said at the parliament that the nation was no longer in danger, so there was no need for the state of emergency.
"We are going to register and vote for lifting the state of emergency thought the country as of Friday, November 16, at 7 p.m., 1900 local time (1500 GMT)," Burjanadze said before voting got underway.
Georgia's parliament overwhelmingly approved lifting of state of emergency, but opposition raise their concerns regarding its effectiveness.
"State emergency lifted should mean the content of it as well. It should mean the end of terror, it should mean the restoration of all media freedoms in this country and it should mean compromise decisions on all principle issues in the Electoral Code," said Tina Khidasheli, an opposition leader.
The former Soviet state's main opposition broadcaster, Imedi, will remain closed because authorities revoked its licence after police raided its office last week. The Georgian government accused Imedi of trying to incite a revolution.
Thursday's parliamentary vote was won with 152 in favour and two against.
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