| Zviad Gamsakhurdia became the president of independent Georgia . However, in December 1991 there began the struggle between the supporters of the president and opposition. After the combat actions in the central part of Tbilisi in January 1992 Gamsakhurdia was displaced from his post and fled the country. The Military Council took over and in March 1992 the State Council came to power. Edward became the Chairman.
In July 1992 Shevardnadze stopped the 18-month war with South Ossetia which had begun after the abolition of South Ossetia 's autonomy. But in August, 1992 after the state armies had entered Abkhazia the armed Georgian-Abkhazian conflict began. Abkhazia as well as Ossetia wanted independence from Georgia .
In 1994 Abkhazians defeated the state armies and ousted them from the country.
After 1995 Georgia entered stabilization period. Considerable progress was achieved on the negotiations related to Ossetian -Georgian conflict. Georgian Parliament carried out economic reforms in cooperation with IMF and the World Bank.
In the year 2000 Shevardnadze was elected the President for the next five-year term. But the chronic financial crisis, high unemployment rate, and poverty growth caused people's discontent. Corruption was high, emigration was growing. Shevardnadze did not manage to achieve success in returning Abkhazia and South Ossetia . There was growing tension between Georgia and Russia : Russian authorities accused Georgian administration of concealment of Chechen separatists in Pankisi Gorge. Shevardnadze turned to the USA and signed the strategic partnership treaty with NATO. In 2002 the USA sent hundreds military men for the purpose of rendering assistance to Georgian army's “antiterrorist operations” in Pankisi Gorge.
Georgia 's close links with the USA further aggravated Russian-Georgian relations. American politicians got more and more dissatisfied with Shevardnadze Administration. In 2003 President Shevardnadze found himself in political isolation. The opposition was headed by the speaker of the Parliament - Nino Burdzhanadze. The “National Movement” led by Mikhail Saakashvili also resolutely acted against Shevardnadze.
On November 2, 2003 the country parliamentary elections took place. The authorities declared the victory of governmental fraction “For the New Georgia”. The opposition boycotted the results of the elections, having accused the government of fraud. The opposition leaders organized mass demonstrations on the streets of Tbilisi which were called the “Revolution of Roses”. In a fortnight Shevardnadze was compelled (on November, 23) to declare his resignation. Nino Burdzhanadze was appointed the acting President of Georgia.
On January 4, 2004 the early presidential election were held in the country which were won by Michael Saakashvili, the leader of the “National Movement”. |
