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Georgia to lift state of emergency on Nov. 16

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A 15-day state of emergency imposed in Georgia amid mass anti-government rallies last week will be lifted on Friday, the parliament's speaker said on Wednesday.
TBILISI, November 14 (RIA Novosti) - A 15-day state of emergency imposed in Georgia amid mass anti-government rallies last week will be lifted on Friday, the parliament's speaker said on Wednesday.

"I am authorized to announce that the Georgian leadership has made a decision to lift the state of emergency in Georgia on November 16," Nino Burdzhanadze said.

"An election campaign ahead of early presidential elections is due to start in the next few days. We would like to express our hopes that calm will be maintained in the country," Burdzhanadze said.

President Mikheil Saakashvili declared a state of emergency last Wednesday as riot police broke up mass protests in the capital calling for his resignation. Some 24 hours later he announced early presidential polls in a bid to ease tensions and address international criticism of his handling of the crisis.

Some 600 people sought medical aid in the Caucasus state after police fired tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets at protesters. Some opposition leaders and activists said they had been beaten up by police. The opposition has also complained about media restrictions imposed as part of the current state of emergency. Saakashvili said the measures were necessary to preserve Georgian statehood.

Burdzhanadze also said discussions with the opposition were continuing. Georgia's parliament said on Wednesday that changes to the electoral system and a referendum on a date for parliamentary polls - also opposition concerns - could be discussed at an extraordinary session on Friday.

The Western-leaning Saakashvili, himself swept to power by peace protests in 2003, is still seen as a strong candidate for the presidency. He is to step down on November 21 ahead of the January 5 polls.

The opposition has backed the president's policy to integrate the ex-Soviet state into Europe and NATO, but criticized what it called his increasingly totalitarian tendencies and failure to ensure economic growth.

The Georgian opposition announced on November 12 that its sole candidate for the upcoming elections would be lawmaker and wine businessman Levan Gachechiladze.

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