Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Georgia Ex-Minister Retracts Allegations

Georgia's former defense minister retracted allegations that the president of this former Soviet republic was involved in a murder plot and other corruption, prosecutors said Monday.

Opposition leaders and a lawyer for the former official accused authorities of coercing the retraction and promised to push for early elections over the case, which has touched off the country's worst political turmoil in years.

Irakly Okruashvili made his allegations against President Mikhail Saakashvili on Sept. 26. The president, who has sought to lessen the influence of neighboring Russia, called the charges "unpardonable lies" and the next day Okruashvili was charged with extortion, money laundering and abuse of power. [More]

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