(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, July 22, 2002) - President Shevardnadze commented today at the news briefing on decision of the officers of the elite troops to quit the army.

"I do not approve such a decision, though I cannot say anything bad about [Nika] Janjghava [former acting commander of the land forces]," Eduard Shevardnadze said.

On July 19 102 officers of the Commando battalion and the special-purpose battalion of the Georgian Ministry of Defense (MoD) deployed at Kojori camp filed dismissal notices to the Minister of Defense. Nika Janjghava was among them.

After the talks with the Georgian Defense Minister Janjghava quitted the post and the army, though other officers of the elite troops of MoD returned to their dislocation place.

Former acting commander of the land forces said that the unbearable conditions in the army made officers to make such a move.

President Shevardnadze said that the issue of Janjghava’s responsibility will be discussed at the National Security Council’s meeting.