Parliamentarians from the opposition New Rights and Republican parties expressed concern at the Parliament’s session on May 31 about that part of a joint declaration of Russian and Georgian Foreign Ministers signed in Moscow on Monday, which deals with setting up of anti-terrorist center. Opposition MPs fear that this provision might be used by Russia to transform its military presence in Georgia into presence of secret services.

According to this joint declaration, which sets a timeframe for Russian bases’ withdrawal, part of personnel, equipment and infrastructure currently belonging to Batumi military base will be used for setting up of a joint Russo-Georgian anti-terrorist center. Details about this joint anti-terrorist center will be outlined in a separate agreement.

MP Pikria Chikhradze, one of the leaders of the opposition New Rights party, called on the authorities to be cautious while discussing the issue of setting up a joint Russian-Georgian anti-terrorist center.
 
“The Georgian government should undertake measures in order not to replace these military bases with the anti-terrorist centers, which might be no less dangerous, than base itself,” MP Pikria Chikhradze, one of the leaders of New Rights Party said.

“I really do not want to see Russian secret services replacing Russian troops in Batumi,” MP Davit Berdzenishvili, the leader of Republican Party said.